Security Breach: Urgent Call On Kogi State Government To Declare Total Lockdown In Okehi LGA »

The recent alleged attack on Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s family house in Obeiba-Ihima, Okehi LGA stands condemned if confirmed to be true. Devoid of political affiliations, we must not gamble with the lives of our people at this important moment in the history of our country. Even though some of us will never have any reason to not doubt the utterances of the alleged target of this attack. Regardless, we must all unite to frown at this ugly incidence.

What started as a mere rumor is gradually degenerating into something more serious than envisaged. It is even more worrisome now that the suspended senator is reported to have said that the armed gunmen had thought she was at home. This calls for serious attention of the local and state governments to ensure that adequate and transparent investigations are carried out and perpetrators brought to book in no distant time.

The recent happenings and perpetrations of “armed gunmen”, “unknown gunmen” in Benue and Plateau is a wake up call to every government to stand firm, defend and protect the lives and properties of its people from any unknown element with the sole aim of destroying the state. It is on record that the last time we ever heard or recorded any incident of unknown or armed gunmen invading and destroying ‘family houses’ of PEPs in Ebiraland(Kogi Central) was during the evil and disastrous sixteen years rule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). KC’s security architecture became locked and tied throughout Fmr. Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration. Governor Ododo shouldn’t allow unknown gunmen find a safe haven in our district or any of our LGAs within the central.

To ensure the safety of the good people of Ihima and Okehi LGA, I’m humbly urging the state government ably led by His Excellency, Ahmed Usman Ododo to please, as a matter of urgency order a total and complete lockdown of Okehi LGA before these perpetrators find their way out of the LGA and possibly relocate to another LGA. With immediate effect, no movement of any sort should be allowed into or out of the LGA, all entry and exit points sealed. All markets and gatherings suspended till further investigation is completed and perpetrators brought to book. Deploy additional security to secure the affected house until this alleged crack in the security architecture of the LGA is resolved.

The state government spends too much on security to be ridiculed by unknown elements in some parts of Ihima in Okehi LGA. Even when the security architecture of the whole nation seem to be failing, Kogi has always stand out in terms of protecting its citizens’ lives and properties. Hence, the need for Kogi State Government to take decisive steps so that they can prevent further escalation, protect its citizens, and ensure that Okehi LGA does not become another battleground like Benue and Plateau States. The time for action is now, before more properties are destroyed or even lives lost. Kogi have positive security records to protect!

By Amoto of Kogi