By Safiyat Muhammed | The Bureau News
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has expressed concern over rising insecurity in the state, attributing it to the spillover of criminal elements from Nigeria’s troubled Northeast and Northwest regions.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday following his visit to the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the governor warned that Kogi should not be seen as a refuge for fleeing armed groups.
“Kogi State is not a fertile land or a free destination for criminals. We are dealing with them decisively. They are hearing it — we don’t make noise,” Ododo declared.
He pointed out that Kogi’s unique geographical location, sharing boundaries with ten other states including the FCT, makes it vulnerable to security breaches, especially from displaced bandits and terrorists retreating from military operations in neighboring regions.
“A state that borders this number of states will definitely, whether you like it or not, experience one form of insecurity or the other. But what we are facing today in Kogi State and the country in general is something we can all join hands together to address,” he added.
The governor also highlighted economic underutilisation as a driver of unrest, saying Kogi’s vast mineral and agricultural potential remains largely untapped.
“We have over 32 mineral deposits in commercial quantity, but they have never worked for our dear state. We have arable land suitable for any kind of crop, yet it remains underused. This is part of what contributes to insecurity,” Ododo explained.
He noted that the recent influx of violent elements into forest areas of the state is a direct result of intensified security operations in the North, saying, “A normal human being cannot stay in the forest. These criminals are retreating, and we are confronting them head-on.”
Ododo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding lives and livelihoods, urging collective efforts to tackle insecurity statewide.