Ajaokuta local government area of Kogi state was a hostile place for the inhabitants and commuters between 2012 and 2015. The roads and bypass that linked Ajaokuta to nearest towns became a permanent sites for heinous crimes of all kinds, and the citizens of the area tremble in fear as the then Government left us to our faith even when we couldn’t help it.
In Year 2015, a divine grace fell on Kogi state as Messiah Alhaji Yahaya Bello emerged as Governor of Kogi State. Left to me alone, I will say God brought Yahaya Bello because of the safety of Ajaokutans alone. The Governor who has been adjudged and awarded as the best security conscious Governor in Nigeria today bestowed the Ajaokuta council leadership on one of his mentee, Akaaba Aliyu Mustapha.
Hon. Akaaba, a one time victim of kidnapping, understands the pains and dangers inherent in his constituency, yet unattended to by the past governments. It is against this backdrop that the young man took the bull by the horn and launch dexterous formidable security strategies. His personal effort in fetching out those committing heinous crimes along Okene-Ajaokuta road can not be overemphasised. He did not delegate or abdicate his responsibility of keeping Ajaokuta safe, he had to shelve all his official paraphernalia and actively led a team of vigilantes in conjunction with Nigerian police in fishing out criminals unleashing unquantifiable mayhem on the people, thereby sending morbid fear to the spine of the citizens of Ajaokuta LGA and commuters. This fight continued till these criminals were vanquished; many of them were caught and brought to justice.
Those who are very much inclined with the impeccable leader of the state government, like my humble self, has never been surprised about the security track records of Hon Akaaba Aliyu Mustapha all through his days as Administrator of the Local Government, of course what do you expect when his political godfather, the youthful and resourceful GYB hold priority for security matters.
When Akaaba became the Executive Chairman of the LG in 2021, I was fortunate to have an interractive session with him where he said: “I believe that society can be best built by firm leadership decisions and actions with zero tolerance for criminality, which will eventually become firm foundation for generations yet unborn & he vowed never to relent in fighting insecurity within and across the LGA.”
On the 17th of March 2021, Hon. Mustapha made national headline today because his tenure as Administrator of Ajaokuta LGA was dotted with glaring achievements in terms of security of lives and properties.
Congratulations to the Grand Security Ambassador of Nigeria for the effective leadership and plausible imprints we enjoin you to continue on this pedestal as you will continue to act to hypes & admiration of all and sundry.
Indeed, with Hon Mustapha Aliyu Akaaba at the helm of governmental affairs, Ajaokutans can only change their prayer points from “oh Lord, give us a better government” to ‘Lord, thank you for giving us Hon Mustapha Aliyu Akaaba’.
– Abdulhameed Ivavah writes from Ajaokuta, Kogi State.
