No Hiding Place for Criminals as Ododo Unveils Security Drones in Kogi »

The Kogi State Government has unveiled newly procured security drones as part of intensified efforts to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering and rapid response to security threats across the state.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in January 2026, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo described the deployment of the drones as a strategic and deliberate step aligned with his administration’s governing philosophy of firm leadership, territorial control and zero tolerance for criminality. He reaffirmed that the protection of lives and property remains the top priority of his government.

Governor Ododo explained that the drones are equipped with advanced surveillance and monitoring capabilities that can operate in difficult terrains, penetrate forested hideouts and support real-time intelligence-led operations. According to him, the technology will enhance early detection of suspicious movements, improve coordination among security agencies and enable faster, more precise deployment of forces against terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.

The governor declared that his administration would not negotiate with criminals or surrender any part of Kogi State to bandits, kidnappers or their sponsors. He stressed that government authority must prevail in all communities, warning criminal groups that their time was running out.

He noted that Kogi’s strategic position as a gateway between the North and the South makes security a critical responsibility, adding that the state has in the past faced threats from criminal elements displaced from other regions. Ododo said his government studied these threats carefully and responded with decisive action.

Highlighting achievements in the security sector over the last two years, the governor said Kogi State has built an intelligence-led security framework combining technology, community participation, inter-agency cooperation and strong political will. He stated that the state is currently the most peaceful in the North Central zone and is determined to become the safest in the country.

Ododo disclosed that grassroots intelligence has been strengthened through the establishment of security structures in all 239 political wards, while 2,752 Vigilante Service personnel have been formally absorbed into the civil service to improve their welfare, discipline and professionalism. He added that hunters have been recruited and equipped across the 21 local government areas to support operations in forests and hard-to-reach locations.

The governor also listed other security interventions, including sustained clearance operations in flashpoints, the construction and equipping of a Quick Response Unit, and the procurement of patrol vehicles, operational vans, motorcycles, bulletproof vests, helmets and communication gadgets. He said the newly unveiled drones build on these efforts by improving early threat detection, rapid response and territorial control.

Ododo noted that criminals continually adapt, relocate and regroup, stressing the need for constant upgrades in human and technical intelligence. He said the drones would enable continuous monitoring of forests, tracking of criminal movements, disruption of supply routes and neutralisation of threats before they escalate.

The governor expressed sympathy to victims of criminal activities, assuring residents that his government is fully in control and determined to secure every citizen of the state.

He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and commitment to national security, as well as the National Security Adviser, service chiefs, heads of intelligence agencies, the Inspector General of Police and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for their collaboration.

Ododo also commended the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), and praised local vigilantes, hunters, community leaders and traditional rulers for their role as the first line of defence in communities.

Governor Ododo urged residents to support security agencies through timely information sharing, noting that security is a collective responsibility. He reiterated that while Kogi State is unsafe for criminals, it remains a safe home for law-abiding and hardworking citizens.

Earlier, the Commander, 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Lokoja, Brigadier General K.U. Sidi, described the deployment of the drones as a game changer, noting that it places Kogi State at the forefront of security innovation and operational efficiency.
The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shuaibu represented by Brigadier General O.S. Abai, Director of Transformation and Innovation at Army Headquarters, also reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to Kogi State’s security. He highlighted the recent establishment and deployment of the 21 Battalion Nigerian Army to the state as a strategic intervention to reinforce troop presence and improve rapid response to security threats.

Stakeholders and residents across the state have welcomed the initiative, describing it as a bold reassurance of the government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property.