TRACKING____The ongoing onslaught by the Kogi State Government against bandits and
terrorists received further boost at the weekend with the arrests of
some notorious bandits and recovery of arms/ammunitions.
The arrest and recovery of arms and ammunitions made across four LGAs
of the state, namely, Kabba Bunu, Adavi, Okehi and Ofu LGAs, followed
the state government’s renewed efforts in strengthening its
neighbourhood watch which comprises of the vigilantes and hunters.
In one of the successes recorded in Kabba Bunu LGA, hunters deployed
on Obajana oad with credible intelligence, raided a forest in Agbadu
area where they met bandits and engaged them in gun duel resulting in
the bandits retreating but dropped one fully loaded AK47 which was
recovered.
Men of the Nigerian Army later came in to join forces with the hunters
in trailing the bandits and one of them was apprehended.
The suspect is currently providing useful information that would lead
to the arrest of other fleeing members of the gang.
Similarly, in Adavi and Okehi Local Government Areas, the efforts of
the hunters paid off on Saturday, when a 5-man gang of bandits that
have been terrorizing the people were arrested at their Camp at Abobo
behind Osara Dam.
The gang leader, Alwaza, confessed they operates with two Ak47 and
three pump action rifles.
According to him, their operations were mainly on the highway of
Irepeni, Osara, Eika and Itakpe Roads.
He is currently helping security agents to recover arms and ammunition
which he said are buried in the forest.
Elsewhere in Ofu LGA in the East Senatorial district, a notorious
armed robber terrorising Ugwolawo and its environs, one Uchabiojo Musa
Uchabe was also apprehended.
The suspect who is an employee of a private organisation where he
serves as a guard, is reported to have specialised in house breaking
and highways robbery before he met his waterloo on July 17, 2020. He
confessed to have stolen several motor bikes in the LGA in conjunction
with one Abukeke from Ikagbo in Ofu LGA.
Speaking on the development, the Kogi State Security Adviser, Retired
Navy Commander Jerry Omodara, said said the security agencies, hunters
and vigilantes are working in synergy on the specific directive of the
State Governor, Alh Yahaya Bello to keep Kogi State safe from criminal
elements.
“Jointly, we are fighting a common purpose to rid the state of
criminalities in whatever form they appear. In days ahead, we will
have harvest of them and we will continue to keep Kogi State as the
safest state in the North Central”, Omodara said.
Governor Yahaya Bello has consistently maintained that he will not
negotiate with criminals in his quest to secure the state, saying he
will use apparatus of the federal security agencies in addition to
vigilantes and hunters for a well-structured intelligence gathering to
secure the state.
