Re-inventing Kogi’s security architecture
If there is one area that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has made the most impact, it is in the area of security. From the onset, Governor Bello never hid the fact that he was going to reinvent the state’s security architecture and by so doing, make the state of the safest in the country.
Governor Bello believes that it is only a secured environment that can guarantee the rapid socio-economic development of the state. Investors would be too glad to invest in a state that is safe and secured. No one would be willing to put his money where he or she isn’t sure of the safety of his or her investment.
The effort of Governor Bello is no doubt, paying off. By the tail end of last year, the state had overtaken Lagos as the number one investors’ destination in the country. No thanks to the ingenious way the Governor has handled security matters.
At the inception of his administration, the administration of Governor Bello purchased over 100 vehicles, several motorbikes and in- augurated a local security outfit. The vehicles and motorbikes were distributed to the various security outfits to ease patrol. In a nutshell, the battle had to be taken to the dens of the criminals.
The Governor opted for this style given the fact that before he assumed office, the state had gained notoriety as the headquarters of kidnapping and other sundry crimes. He seemed to come with the firm determination to change the negative narrative. If criminals won’t let the state be, he won’t give them a breathing place.
He launched out full throttle. He went for the kidnappers. He pulled down houses be- longing to them. simply put, he read out a riot act: ‘A child that won’t allow his mother sleep,
will also not have the pleasure of sleeping.’
Trainings were organized for the local security outfit and after the training, they were posted to the various Local Government Areas with a mandate to stem the tide of crime and criminality. It was a marching order and the result was great.
Bushes along major highways across the state were cleared and this has become a regular thing. It is meant to deny criminals any cover. Different security outposts were also opened with the state government providing the fund for them.
In order to allow the people, own or have a say in the security architecture of the state, the Governor took steps to empower the State Security Trust Fund; an agency of government
charged with the responsibility of pooling re- sources together to reinforce security in the
state.
Determined to rid the state of criminal elements and reposition the Security Trust
Fund, the Governor, last year, picked a very resourceful young man, businessman, and as- tute politician, Hon. Teina Abdulmalik to head the agency.
Hon. Teina has proved himself as a round peg in a round hole; aptly fitting for the job. He seems to have got his briefs right as he has continued to deliver on his mandate. His effort is one that has proved to be the icing on the cake in the fight against insecurity across the length and breadth of the state.
In an effort to combat crime in the state, Chairman, Kogi State Security Trust Fund, Hon. Teina Abdulmalik, only last week, presents 23 refurbished operational vehicles, tyres and batteries to security agencies in the state to enhance their operational efficiency in the fight against crime and criminality.
Making the presentation to the benefiting Agencies in Government House, Lokoja, the Chairman, who was represented by the Public Relations Officer, Mallam, Aliyu Abubakar Musa, acknowledged the immense efforts and contributions of the Security Agencies to stem
criminality in the state.
According to the Chairman, “Kogi State has witnessed its fair share of criminal activities ranging from kidnapping, cultism and communal crises, but, our security agencies have been working round the clock to nip them in the bud.
“And with these vehicles, I know that they will do more in that regards. I urge them not to relent in their effort in ridding the state of all forms of crime.”
Teina, promised that more operational vehicles would be procured for the security agencies and appealed to them to ensure regular maintenance of the utility vehicles.
He thanked the Governor, Alhaji Yaha- ya Adoza Bello, for providing all the enablement to ensure the State Security Trust Fund achieves its mandates.
Speaking on behalf of the Security Agencies, the Comptroller of Correctional Services, Kogi State Command, Alhaji AhmMusa, lauded the proactive efforts of the Trust Fund, in curbing criminality in the state.
He stressed that they were motivated by the gesture to redouble their efforts in the fight against crime and pledged that, the vehicles would be maintained to help the government achieve the purpose for which they were given out.
Indeed, the negative security narrative of the state is changing. Security of lives and
prosperity is being accorded topmost priority but it must be emphasized that security is everybody’s business.
