The Kogi State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to a sustained and intensified campaign against criminal elements across the state, promising decisive actions aimed at restoring peace and ensuring the safe return of kidnapped residents. This assurance came as concern mounts over rising insecurity in several communities, particularly in the Kabba/Bunu area, which recently witnessed public protests over recurrent banditry.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, Kingsley Fanwo, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, disclosed that security agencies are actively tracking criminals, and that ongoing operations are focused on locating and liberating victims still in captivity. According to Fanwo, the government took the stance in direct response to sustained public outcry over insecurity.
“We understand the trauma faced by families of kidnapped victims. We are also very concerned about their well-being,” Fanwo stated, underscoring the emotional and psychological toll that abductions have exacted on affected families. He added that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has invested heavily in boosting the state’s capacity to crush criminal elements and to support comprehensive security operations.
The commissioner extended gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his administration’s collaboration and ongoing backing, as well as to the National Security Adviser, Service Chiefs, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for their “relentless backing in the fight against crime in Kogi State.”
Fanwo reiterated that preventive security measures were being strengthened and that the government remains resolute in its aim to rescue every “Kogite” still in the hands of criminals. “We will make sure every Kogite in their hands is rescued,” he affirmed. “We also sympathise with families that have lost loved ones. We are making progress and the security situation has improved significantly.”
The declaration comes in the wake of a protest by residents of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, who took to the streets earlier in the week to demand urgent government intervention in the face of escalating banditry that has forced many inhabitants to flee their homes and abandon their villages. The demonstrators emphasised the need for a swift and effective response to prevent further loss of lives and property.
While acknowledging the legitimacy of peaceful protests against insecurity, Fanwo cautioned that such actions must be free of political motives. “We can’t afford to be divided as a people at this moment. We must come together to continue to win this war,” he said, urging cooperation between communities and security agencies.
In his address, the commissioner also commended individuals and stakeholders who have been supporting government efforts to combat violent crime. He singled out Leke Abejide, the lawmaker representing Yagba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, for his tangible support in providing logistics to aid security operations within his constituency. “He has put his money where his mouth is by matching words with actions,” Fanwo noted, encouraging others to contribute positively to the state’s security agenda rather than “playing politics with security.”
Kogi State has witnessed several high-profile security incidents in recent months, including bandit attacks and kidnappings that have left dozens of victims in captivity. Community sources have reported fatalities and hostages still unaccounted for following violent raids, such as an attack in Ayetoro-Kiri, Kabba/Bunu, where dozens were abducted and only a handful released after significant ransom payments, with several returning victims arriving dead or gravely injured.
Additionally, military and joint security operations across Kogi have yielded multiple rescue efforts, with troops recovering abducted individuals and neutralising armed bandits in coordinated missions, reflecting a broader, ongoing offensive against criminal networks in the region.
