Ignore false alarm on insecurity threat – Kogi Govt urges citizens, travellers

By Thompson Yamput

Kogi Government has urged citizens and travellers to ignore false alarm on insecurity circulating that the state is not safe.

Retired Commodore Jerry Omodara, Security Adviser (SA) to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.

An alarm in form of a notice in circulation in the state claims, “Kogi State is hot for now. For those visiting kogi State to see family and friends please avoid this areas, Jimgbe, Elete, Emoro, Geregu down to Ajaokuta.

“Also, avoid Obajana old road. Even if you are stick in traffic due to the new bridge construction, please avoid the old road, it’s very dangerous.”

Omodara said there was the need to caution people, to avoid believing in unconfirmed reports like that, especially when it had to do with security in Kogi.

“As things are in terms of security, there is no such thing happening in Kogi. It’s all but falsehood.

“Trust us, we will not give anyone the chance to torment the people of Kogi as it used to be in the past. As it is, there is no cause for alarm as long as Kogi State is concerned.

“This is because criminals coming into the state are quickly harvested. We are harvesting them even with those who ran to other states as we ensure we go after them and bring them back to face prosecution.

“All we expect from the public is timely information and the security agencies will do their job, ”he said.

The security adviser explained, “it’s true you can’t completely eliminate criminality in any society, but the compact system of neighborhood and the security architecture put in by the Federal Government in Kogi is working very well along with the will power of the Kogi Government to deal with the emerging security situation.

According to him, “If we have one or two security challenges, be sure we have nipped 6 or 7 or 8 in the bud.”

He said for the fact that there was an incident recently, people should stop enlarging it as if it was a threat to wellbeing of residents and passers-by.

“We all know what the security situation in Kogi was and what we are having now.

“The government of Gov Bello has been able to bring sanity in Kogi, where the people are very free, doing their legitimate businesses without any fear of harassment.

“Therefore, rather than escalating falsehood on social media, it’s better you channel information, whenever you discovered any security challenge or breach to the security operatives for prompt action,” he advised.

Omodara expressed gladness that the government and security operatives were getting it well in Kogi.

“Till the last day of Alh. Yahaya Bello in office as governor, and even to the next government, we will continue to fight insecurity in Kogi for the good of our people.” NAN