By joshua 
Security under Ododo administration
By Emman Gwatana
Security is essential in every part of human endeavour. As a matter of fact security is the centre of human development.
In any part of the world, citizens are conscious of their security. This is because in living, security is the first sure bet. It is this consciousness that has made many countries of the world including Nigeria to enshrine in their constitution the core fundamental objective of governance to include security of lives and properties.
The crisis and wars which are been witnessed for ages between nations stems out of the fear of insecurity. When a given nation’s security is being threatened by another nation crisis is inevitable.
Security is very fundamental in building institutions of government including that of the private sector. Leaders of nations and communities ordinarily must be acquainted with the important and basic place of security on the lives of their people.
Ukraine boarders Russia but the fear of insecurity moved Russia to start a war with Ukraine. As we speak the conflict between the two nations is still ongoing. Today seeing Ukraine is in ruins due to the disagreement on security with Russia.
Palestine use to be a delightful place but when crisis arose on the security with its boarder with Israel, it witnessed the worst and horrific attack from Israel. In all these instances, the fear of insecurity between nations has often led to crisis. Unfortunately some of these crisis have led to unimaginable disaster on many great nations of the world.
At the point of independence, Nigeria became one of the envious evolving nation in Africa. Not quite long the people of the Eastern geographical enclave felt insecure and opted for war. Between 19666 – 1967 Nigeria was deep neck in crisis. The fear of insecurity threw Nigeria into unavoidable war with the attendant loss of millions of her people. This was very bad for a budding nation then.
Insecurity is not the best of a thing for any given people. Unfortunately, wether we like it or not, humanity has continued to live with insecurity for ages. In spite of this, leaders of institutions of government must seek a way out to always mitigate insecurity in their various domain.
When former governor Yahaya Adoza Bello took over the reigns of leadership in Kogi State in 2016 insecurity was already rife in the state. At the time there were rumours that some of the insurgents having jtheir abode in the state. Many people do not believe the story while a few others believed it. On assumption of office former governor Bello never hesitated in tackling the menace of insurgents crawling into the state.
Without wasting time former Governor Bello empowered the security agencies in the state by buying security gadgets and vehicles to each of the security agencies in the state. With the empowerment in place, the security agents mobilized themselves and moved into the den of the insurgents across the state.
To prove the seriousness of the government against the insurgents, former governor Bello started the onslaught against them from his own Senatorial district. High rising buildings and houses suspected to belong to the insurgents and which served as their secret places to unleash mayhem against innocent citizens were all brought down. It never ended there, the bulldozers moved to Odu in the Eastern Senatorial district where the buildings of criminals were also brought down. The Western Senatorial district was not also spared. Some of the buildings belonging to miscreants were also destroyed.
The destruction of the houses belonging to criminals across the state gave a peaceful reprieve to the people of the state. In no time people started going about their normal business across the state. Indeed it was a great kudos to the government of the day at the time.
As we all know only a few criminals repent. Hardened ones takes criminality as a norm and a way of life. This is bad in itself.
Prior to former Governor Bello’s exit in office in 2024, insecurity once again reared its ugly head across the States of the federation. Niger, Borno, Sokoto, Zamfara states became a theatre of blood shed by the insurgents. In no time, Kogi State which has remained peaceful for quite some time started witnessing the infiltration of the insurgents from Niger state. Bad news.
When Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo took the oath of office on January 27, 2024, he followed the steps of his predecessor in office by equipping the security agencies in the state with security hard wares and vehicles. The move empowered the security agencies to tackle the menace of criminality across the state.
In spite of the efforts of the governor the insurgents are not prepared to let down their evil activities. The insurgents that took over the forests of Niger state started creeping into the western part of Kogi State. In no time they kept moving into Kogi Central and the Eastern part of the state. The spread became so rapid and it started overwhelming the people of the state.
Worst hit in the wave of the insurgents across the state are the people of Kogi West. In the later part of 2025 the insurgents were kidnapping people from their homes and churches. Sleepless nights became the order of the day in the western part of the state. It is indeed very terrible.
Piqued by the evil activities of the insurgents the governor at a public function in Okene declared that – “I will never negotiate with bandits. I swore to protect the lives and properties of my people and I will uphold it.” The statement underscores the seriousness the governor attached to the fight against the insurgents in the state..
When the insurgents kept harassing the citizens of the state, the governor swang into action and mobilized the security agencies into action. At a point the security agents intercepted a large cache of arms in the state and weakened the activities of the insurgents in the state. To a large extent this seizure created a great setback on the activities of insurgents in the state.
The state security apparatus did not stop at the seizure of the large cache of arms from the bandits but intestified its efforts by deploying police helicopter in its surveillance across the state. The deployment of the police helicopter with the combined ground operation of the combined military, police, civil defence and other security operators led to the decimation of the operational centers of the insurgents in Kogi West. Many of the insurgents were killed while their makeshifts centers were burnt to ashes resulting in many of them escaping to interior forests.
As at the time of this report the onslaught on the insurgents who rared their ugly heads in recent times is being sustained by the Ododo administration . In Kogi State today there is no hiding place for criminals . The APC led-administration in the state is fully prepared to sustain the tempo of making the state zero tolerance for criminal elements hibernating in the state.
While the Ododo administration is working round the clock to flush the criminal elements in the state, there is also the dire need for the citizenry to put their hands on deck. Security should not be left in the hands of government alone. Opinion moulders in the society, traditional rulers, private security organizations, politicians, businessmen and women, farmers, Artisans, all and sundry have critical roles to play on surveillance to fish out the criminal elements within the society.
As democracy continues to deepen in the country, the year 2026 is very critical to politicians in the country. This is so as the next general elections in the country will be held in the first quarter of 2027. Already activities to herald the 2027 general elections had began with the release of the time table for the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Some paries have already slated their Congresses for February and March. This development will no doubt heighten political activities across the country with its attendant political hullabaloo.
Kogi State is known for peaceful political conduct. In spite of this assertion, there is the dire need for Kogi politicians to conduct their activities with maturity to avoid giving room to miscreants who are ever ready to cause mischief within the society.
While underground campaigns by politicians is already on top gear for 2027, it would be wise for politicians within the state to play the game according to its rules. Politicians should stop using odd words in soliciting for support . Heating the polity leads to crisis and it breeds insecurity.
On the part of the youths, the citizenry sees the youths as the backbone of the society. Intrestingly, the society expects much from the youths who are seen to be energetic and zealous for societal development. It is odd to note here that some modern youths of today however are driven with the “get rich quick syndrome”” which often leads them to societal vices.
Kogi youths are expected to support Kogi State government drive to rid the state of insurgency. Governor Ododo has done much for the youths of the state by integrating them into his administration. Majority of Kogi State youths are Council Chairmen, Councillors, Special Advisers , Senior Special Assistants, Ward Special Assistants, Board members of Agencies and Parastaltas. These appointments are no doubt economic empowerment which ordinarily should take the eyes of the youths away from vices .
Kogi youths are expected to support the administration of Ododo in combating insecurity in the state. This they can do by embarking on intelligence gathering, surveillance, positive cooperation with security agencies in exchanging information to fight insecurity in the state. Kogi State youths should not be involved in promoting the activities of insurgents in the state. They should rather be agents of positive change in fighting crime in the state.
It is interesting to note here that Governor Ododo’s political posture in running an all inclusive administration is in itself a means of combating insecurity in the state. Governor Ododo in the last two years has ensured that majority of Kogi State youths are engaged in meaningful ventures across the state. This step taken by the governor has gone a long way in reducing vices in the state.
About a week ago the governor deployed surveillance drones to fish out criminals who have crept into Kogi West. The drones has cost the state government substantial amount of money running to millions of naira. The essence is to ensure that criminals who inadvertently find their way into the state are flushed out.
In terms of fulfilling his mandate of protecting lives and properties in the state, Governor Ododo has been ldoing his best to keep the state safe. The citizenry of the state have a duty to cooperate with security agencies in combating criminality in the state.
Traditional rulers, youth leaders, the organized sector, critical stakeholders of the state, all have a duty to contribute their own quota in ensuring that criminal elements are put at bay in the state.
As the governor celebrates his two years in office, it is hoped that the combined efforts of government and the people of Kogi State in tackling insecurity will be very paramount in the years ahead.
The Graphic newspaper wish His Excellency sound health and awesome celebration of his second year in office.