The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has given seven days ultimatum to those in possession of fire arms and ammunition, in the central senatorial district of the state to surrender them to security agents or face the full wrath of the law.
Gov. Bello who gave the warning in Okene, the Headquarters of Central Senatorial District of Kogi state during a stakeholders meeting on the security challenges in the area, said the security and safety of Ebira land is pivotal to the security of the nation.
He also stressed that the geographical location of the district was enough for the government to take a decisive action in tackling insecurity in the area.
The insecurity challenges that as bedeviled the area which is made up of five Local Government Area is of top discussion.
The hall was filled to the capacity with the elder statesman, traditional ruler from various clan, National House of Assembly members, youths, top government functionaries all from Central Senatorial District are all in attendance.
Governor Bello, in his opening remark welcome the people to the town hall meeting, while he urged them to speak out their mind without fear, he said this will go a long way in saving the land from miscreant.
”Today we are here holding a town hall meeting with respect to security challenges not only in Kogi state,but in Central Senatorial District comprising of five local government, Okene, Okehi, Adavi, Ajaokuta and Ogori-mangogo.
”These senatorial areas are dominantly by Ebira people, If I am not mistaken we are 90 percent of Ebira people in these Senatorial Districts”.
The Governor had recently ordered the demolition of over 15 buildings in Okene that had been identifed as kidnappers den discovered with arms.
“This is the first time the people will come together to brain storm on how to tackle the insecurity situation which has been a daily event since the creation of the state, while previous government paid no attention.
One of the elder statesman, Dr. Tom Adaba, who spoke to Channels Television lamented over the incessant criminal activities in the area which had brought disgrace to the land, while he appealed to the Governor not to spear any one in his quest to rid the district of criminal element.
“The governor is making an attempt in wiping them out which is the best thing to do and having started, it is only right and proper that he gets to hear what the people think about it” Dr. Adaba lamented.
Also speaking, the Asema of Ezuka CLAN, Momoh Sani Isa, while thanking the governor for fighting crime in the area, he identified politicians as the problem, he said they formed the habit of arming thugs to unleash terror on their opponent.
“What almost destroyed the effort of the traditional ruler in tackling crime is dirty politics you know when the time come for politicians to campaign most of them don’t even regard the traditional rulers as people because they know, this people have no voice at the top and in an effort to get supporters they will not do what is right at whatever level, Isa added.
The Governor while speaking with newsmen warned politicians in the district who armed thugs to retrieve the weapons and hand them over to the nearest police station, to avoid being caught by the law.
Governor Bello also said there will be no sacred cow in the fight against criminality in the state.
