• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
Sign in
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Password recovery
Recover your password
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • CISLAC boss, Musa Rafsanjani

      Nigeria Ranks 150 in 2022 Transparency International Corruption Index

      Prof Ojerinde Jamb

      Alleged N10bn Fraud: Ex-JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde, Re-Arrested in Abuja

      court Judiciary

      Court Lifts Forfeiture on Ekweremadu’s 40 properties, Lambasts EFCC for Concealing…

      EFCC Charges Youths to Brace Up for National Development

      Okupe’s Arrest: DSS Acted on Old Alarm – EFCC

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Digital Economy: Pantami Unveils Nigeria’s Scorecard at Global Forum

      EFCC

      Towards more transparent sale of forfeited assets, by Ismail Abdulaziz

      Fragile Borders Fuel Terrorism, Economic Sabotage, Buhari tells WCO Delegation

      2023 Elections: Lawyers Must Play Leading Role in Making Best Choice…

      FACT-CHECK:  Were Trucks Loaded with Old Naira Notes ‘Belonging to Tinubu’…

  • National
    • FRSC Appoints DCMs, Promotes 3628 other Senior Officers

      Amidst New Naira Note Chaos, e-Naira Onboarding Reaches 3m

      FHA Confirms Building Collapse in Abuja, Four Persons Rescued

      2023 Elections: NBA Warns Judicial Officers, Lawyers against Unethical Practices

      CISLAC boss, Musa Rafsanjani

      Nigeria Ranks 150 in 2022 Transparency International Corruption Index

    • Government
      • NITDA Commends Ilorin Innovation Hub

        Gowon Optimistic Buhari ‘ll Assent NYSC Trust Fund Bill

        Why I Re-Appointed Kashifu Inuwa as NITDA Director General – Buhari

        Fragile Borders Fuel Terrorism, Economic Sabotage, Buhari tells WCO Delegation

        Yemi-Esan Receives ISO 9001:2015 Certificate for OHCSF

  • Security
    • Navy arrests human traffickers, rescues 18 victims in Kano metropolis

      NAF Aircraft Belly Lands Safely

      NDLEA Intercepts Drug Consignments at Lagos Airport, Arrests Pregnant Woman, School…

      Nigeria Police Force Logo

      PSC Appoints Hafiz Inuwa, Ali Janga and Adeleke Bode Police DIGs,…

      NAF Chief Commissions Female Hostel at Airforce Institute

  • Features
    • EFCC

      Towards more transparent sale of forfeited assets, by Ismail Abdulaziz

      Slain bandits' leader, Dogo Gide

      Nigeria’s Banditry – How it all started

      Bola Tinubu

      Mr. President, You owe Tinubu more than this……By Abdullahi O.Haruna Haruspice

      CP Sadiq Abubakar: The Sheriff of FCT Police Command

      INEC

      INSECURITY: How Safe is Nigeria for 2023 Polls? By MUKHTAR Ya’u…

  • State
    • Salihu Mustafha

      Kwara APC Senatorial Candidate Pledges to Sponsor Bills Defending Labour Laws

      DG, FCT Emergency Management Agency, Abbas IDris

      FCTA Introduces ‘Emergency Marshals’ to Avert Hazard in Abuja

      EFCC Denies Grilling Mustapha, Kwara APC Senatorial Candidate

      Buhari inaugurates Reference Hospital, Massive Projects Constructed by Gov Yahaya Bello…

      PSC Suspends ASP Drambi Vandi over Death of Female Lawyer

  • Event
    • 12 Things you Should Know about Armed Forces Remembrance Day in…

      Buk 92 Class 30th Anniversary

      PHOTOS: WhatsApp Reunites BUK 92 Class After 30 Years… As Old…

      Nigerian Navy Charges Personnel On Discipline, Professionalism

      President Buhari Hails CDI Gen Samuel Adebayo on Defence Intelligence, Staff…

      At Ceremonial Sunset, Naval Chief Honours Officers who Freed 250 Abducted…

Home Features That No-nonsense, New Approach to Tackling Insecurity in Kogi
  • Features

That No-nonsense, New Approach to Tackling Insecurity in Kogi

By
Nafisat Bello
-
September 3, 2022
Kogi State Gov., Yahya Bello

That No-nonsense, New Approach to Tackling Insecurity in Kogi

By Nafisat Bello

“Eight lives are too many for us, and even one life is too many for anybody to take unjustly”

That was vintage Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello at his no-nonsense best expressing massive outrage over the recent killing in Ajaokuta of three policemen and five Vigilante men by some unknown assailants who stormed the area in a major, though, rare security breach. Immediately the tragic news hit the airwaves, the governor was so angry that he ordered the immediate suspension and arrest of the Monarch in charge of the area and also queried the local government chairman. He also set in motion a couple of measures meant to not only punish the people who let the state down but also forestall a future occurrence.

Governor Bello is known by all and sundry not to joke with governance or anything that affects the welfare of Kogites. But he is a little more extreme when security is involved as sanctity of life is something he is very passionate about. That ‘extremism’ which could be likened to pragmatism is what has made the state very stable and secure in the last six years.

Of course Kogi state has been one of the safest states in the country and Governor Bello doesn’t seem to be in the mood to let this change. And that was due to the fact that Governor Bello places high premium on security. From the onset of his administration, Governor Bello declared Operation Total Freedom. He provided over 200 utility vehicles for all security agencies, equipped vigilante groups with funds, logistics and over 500 motorcycles. He also lobbied the federal government and Military authorities to cite Nigerian Army Forward Operational Bases in different strategic locations across the state to boost security in those areas.

The state government also armed various security outfits to the teeth with the provision of necessary weapons and logistics, one of which was the provision of another 104 patrol vehicles to various security and paramilitary agencies like the Army, Navy, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Federal Road Safety Corps and the Vigilante Groups.

Governor Bello has not been treating security challenges with kid-gloves. One of the decisive steps he took was the introduction whistleblowing policy which has gone a long way help identify and arrest criminals.

On the recent Ajaokuta incident, the governor summoned a crucial meeting of all stakeholders. Traditional rulers, opinion leaders, local government leaders, security agents and vigilante groups all attended the meeting.

From Kabba to Okene to Idah, every traditional ruler in the state was in the meeting. The highest hierachy of the Police was in attendance. Speakers after speakers spoke glowingly on the massive efforts the governor has taken on security and how the recent incident shouldn’t have happened.

When it was his turn to speak, the governor told the audience a painful story about how he had repeatedly warned the traditional ruler involved about the negative security reports in the area and his alleged connivance with the criminals. The governor also specifically said he had given the monarch and local government chairman a last warning months earlier in their last encounter, that the next time a major security breach is reported in the area, he would deal decisively with them. That of course was the reason the governor got the monarch arrested and queried the local government chairman.

An obviously angry Governor Bello also gave a stern warning to the Commissioner of Police who was at the meeting to ensure that the detained monarch is not released on bail or under any guise.

“After receiving information of his activities with some criminal elements in that particular local government, I couldn’t take it anymore. So, I specifically, together with the chairman, cautioned him; this is the last warning, any incident of even kidnapping for a ransom of one naira by the criminal elements that you are harbouring , you will pay dearly for it.

“And all he could do was to turn it political, changing the whole thing into a clannish issue, knowing the fact that everyone came from somewhere. I don’t care about your religion, be it Muslim or Christian. I don’t care which clan you represent, I don’t care your background, your beliefs, I don’t care about your tribe, be it Ebira, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani. I don’t care which political party you belong to, be it APC or PDP. I don’t care where you came from, but what is important is , as a human being, you must be secured and make your own contribution to livelihood, but if you constitute a bridge to insecurity, I will deal decisively with you. So, therefore that particular traditional ruler will pay dearly for it.

“And whoever comes to beg or seek the bail of that traditional ruler will also be arrested and charged with the same criminal offence, no matter how highly placed that person is” Governor Bello added.

Critics may see the governor’s approach as extra-judicial as some of his pronouncements and actions may not be able to stand the test of litigation but relatives of the slain policemen and vigilante men will not care at all. People of Kogi state who have in recent years enjoyed relative peace and tranquility will also frown at a situation whereby people hide under law and human rights and get away with criminal and murderous conspiracy.

According to Governor Bello, “we have been doing our best to make sure that Kogi state is secured, her indigenes are secured, the inhabitants are secured and our livelihood are secured.”

New Stringent Measures

So doubling down on the detention of the Ohi of Eganyi and Chairman, Ajaokuta Area Traditional Council, Alhaji Musa Isah Achuja, and the query given to the Chairman of Ajaokuta Local Council, Hon Mustapha Aka’aba, for alleged links with the criminals and negligence of duty respectively, the governor read the riot act to the stakeholders, saying any traditional ruler found guilty of harbouring or providing shelter for criminals will face the music.

The governor also placed a ban on wearing of face masks in public places except in hospitals where they are very essential. Criminals, he said, hide under the use of face masks to commit heinous crimes while hiding their identities. For proper and easy identification of persons therefore, no more wearing of face masks in public places in Kogi state.

The governor also announced the shutting of all brothels across the state. According to him, brothels have become hiding places for criminal elements. The governor therefore ordered that any brothel owner that doesn’t close shop immediately will have his building demolished.

The governor also announced that the state government will embark on the demolition of shanties across the state. Shanties, he said, have also become a safe haven for criminals who are troubling the state.

According to security reports available to the state government, motorcycles and tricycles are some of the vehicles used by criminals to carry out their nefarious activities. The governor therefore ordered that the activities of commercial motorcycles and tricycles be heavily regulated to minimise the danger they pose to security of lives and property.

The state government also launched Operation Know Your Subject (KYS), a mechanism to help traditional rulers know those who live in their neighbourhoods. “If you are accepting visitors, you must know them and you must know all your subjects, since you are the owners of the land. Whether they are indigenes, or strangers or they are migrating, you must know that someone is occupying a portion of your land,” the governor told the traditional rulers.

The state government, he said, will also embark on a review of land tittles to prevent irregular settlers. “No unknown persons or settlers should settle in your lands without passing through proper Identification,” he also told the monarchs.

The governor gave the traditional rulers up till 30th of August to cleanse their lands of unidentified strangers.

He also informed the gathering that the state government will embark on the regulation of activities of miners and so-called investors who occupy large portions of the land arbitrarily.

Any keen observer of Kogi affairs in recent years will realise that Governor Bello is only seen in this kind of mood when the security and welfare of Kogites are involved. With these new measures, there is no doubting the fact that everybody will sit up and that kind of embarrassing incident will not repeat itself as far as this governor is in office.

Kogi State Gov., Yahya Bello

As a form of of recommendation however, the governor may consider institutionalising some of these measures and policies for the sake of the future. The governor can liaise with the Attorney General of the state and other aides and explore ways of making new laws to give strong legal backing to the above measures.

daily trust nigerian newspaper

Kidnapped School Children

Yauri FGC Students, Kebbi
600 days 5 hours 25 minutes 15 seconds,

Baptist School Students, Kaduna
582 days 7 hours 6 minutes 40 seconds

Tegina Islamiya Pupils, Niger (Freed)
Spent 88 days from May 30, 2021 - August 26, 2021


Report By: PRNigeria.com

 
VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
Previous articleSGF Urges NDPB to Curb Data Breaches In Nigeria
Next articleArmy Chief Advises NMS Boys at Passing Out Parade in Zaria
Nafisat Bello

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

NITDA Commends Ilorin Innovation Hub

ICICE @ 10: Promoting Islamic Culture, Education and Philanthropy

Digital Economy: Pantami Unveils Nigeria’s Scorecard at Global Forum

Navy arrests human traffickers, rescues 18 victims in Kano metropolis

NCDMB rated high as BPSR presents report on SAT deployment

NAF Aircraft Belly Lands Safely

EFCC

Towards more transparent sale of forfeited assets, by Ismail Abdulaziz

NDLEA Intercepts Drug Consignments at Lagos Airport, Arrests Pregnant Woman, School Teacher

Nigeria Police Force Logo

PSC Appoints Hafiz Inuwa, Ali Janga and Adeleke Bode Police DIGs, Promotes CPs, DCPs

NAF Chief Commissions Female Hostel at Airforce Institute

MURIC to Adebanjo: Is Presidency the Birthright of Only Southern Christians?

2023 Elections: Tinubu Loves Nigeria, elect him as the Next President – Buhari

  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
X whatsapp