Crimes: Kogi State vows to punish Killers, Arsonists

The Kogi State Government in North Central Nigeria, has vowed to deploy resources needed to hunt down criminals who stormed some communities in Oganenigwu, Dekina Local Government Area of the State, which led to the loss of lives and burning of properties in the area.

The invaders reportedly stormed the communities shooting sporadically and burning hundreds of houses in the early morning raid.

In a statement the State’s Governor Yahaya Bello called for calm over the attacks, describing the “Vile and satanic attack as a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Oganenigu who have enjoyed relative peace and security for years,” said his administration will continue to face out crisis entrepreneurs from the state and ensure that those involved shall be brought to book under the laws.

Speaking to Journalists, the State’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsly Fanwo said security personnel and other necessary emergency response teams have been mobilized to give the necessary support to the people.

“As a government, the primary responsible government is to ensure security of lives and property and we have swiftly moved to be able to achieve that. The state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has rallied security operatives to the area to ensure security of lives and property. As I speak with you, the people are growing in confidence, because they are seen prompt reaction from government through all the security agencies that are everywhere around the place now to ensure normalcy, to ensure that there is respect for constitutionalism, to ensure that the crisis is brought under control

“Right now, I may not be able to give you the number of casualties recorded because security agencies are currently doing a lot of investigations to ensure that the right thing is done there. I can also assure you that the State Emergency Management Agency, under the leadership of the Deputy Governor of the state chief Edward Onoja has also moved in to be able to give the basic supplies to the affected people in the community. So that is what exactly what we are doing right now. And tomorrow, the State Governor, will be moving to the place to be able to have firsthand information and assessment of the level of the casualties there.”

He assured the people of the State that the government would maintain peace and order adding that the state government would put in more efforts to avert further security breach.

“So we are doing everything that we should do as a government to bring normalcy, peace and security to the affected area, not only that the state government is also ensuring that we beef up security around the state because with this attack, it is it is a very big one on our security architecture as a state, we pride ourselves as the safest state and we have the most robust security architecture in the country. So, we are we are recalibrating the architecture to ensure that we are able to protect all of our people in the state.”

He, therefore, called on residents to remain peaceful as the government would not fail in discharging her most essential role of protecting her people as seen since Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration.

“So, we want to assure the people to remain peaceful to be confident as the state government is doing everything humanly possible within the lawful Ambit to ensure that we bring peace back to all parts of the state. We also want to urge our people not to take laws into their hands by launching reprisal attacks that will be not very unnecessary as government is capable of protecting the people, resorting to self help we only aggravate the situation.” Fanwo added.

Senator seeks Traditional Rulers Intervention

Meanwhile, the senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District in the National, Senator Jibrin Echocho, has called on traditional leaders in Dekina local government area of Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, to urgently intervene in the killings in Oganenigu as he condemned the attack while bemoaning the killing of his constituents.

Senator Jibrin in a press statement he signed and made available to journalists in Lokoja, decried the recent invasion after previous moves to broker peace between the original inhabitants of the land and Fulani herders which he said has yielded positive results until the latest onslaught.

The senator appealed to traditional leaders in Oganenigu and Dekina Local Government whom he said should know what the issues are, to sit on a round table with the Fulani leaders with the view to discussing and finding solutions to the concerns.

Echocho recalled that the Oganenigu crisis saw Governor Yahaya Bello visiting the communities some years back, despite difficult terrain, solely to see that peace rains in the land.

“With a heavy heart and deep sense of grief I wish to hereby condemn in the strongest possible terms, the invasion of Edede, Aloko and its adjoining communities in Oganenigu ward in Dekina Local government area of Kogi state. “I wish to call on the traditional institution to provide useful information to the state government which I know is ready to help them live in peace so that the issues at stake would be identified and resolve.”

The lawmaker added that: “I have the strong feeling that some people at some quarters may be profiteering from these incessant crises hence its reoccurrence, if not, we have lived with herders for several years in peace and we are mutually in love with ourselves.

“I strongly commend the efforts of his Excellency Alhaji yahaya Bello in securing the whole state, I wish to still appeal to him to intervene and act on behalf of the poor and innocent people to protect and further guarantee them a future of longevity, pride, and prosperity like he has always done by visiting the redoubled community some years ago.

“This recent surge of mindless killings in Edede on Thursday last week and the renewed one on Sunday morning should be avoided so it does not lead to reprisal at any angle.

“Under the present administration of Yahaya Bello, citizens and residents have enjoyed mutual peace and we give it to him, it is my strong desire that this mutually beneficial relationship is sustained as the recent trouble leading to people being killed by suspected herdsmen or unknown gunmen involving people on their ancestral lands is annoying.

“My concern now is that people are being rendered homeless and internally displaced on their own land as a result of issues that common discussion or understanding would have settled.

“While calling on the youths and people of Oganenigu  as a whole to be law abiding, the Senator finds it instructive to admonish them to  resort to their leaders in discussion towards finding lasting solution to the incessant armed attacks on the vulnerable Community.”  

 

 

PIAK