To curb smuggling of firearms into Kogi State, a special taskforce has been constituted by Governor Yahaya Bello.
The special Task Force, according to Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, will be headed by Dr. Friday Sanni, a former member of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
Fanwo in a statement yesterday, said Sanni’s appointment as Director General of the Special Task Force on Smuggling of Firearms by the Governor was conveyed through a letter dated May 8 and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade.
He said the government’s decision to set up the taskforce was part of its recalibration efforts in the security architecture to ensure that firearms were not smuggled into the state for use by criminal elements.
“Government is committed to ensuring criminality is reduced to near-zero level in the state.
“We recognise increase in proliferation of arms in the state and we cannot afford a situation where firearms are in the hands of people who are neither licensed nor trained to handle them.
“The Taskforce will also afford those already in possession of firearms illegally to submit them voluntarily,” he said.
