Kogi Security Trust Fund partner Navy, others, to strengthen security
Kogi State Security Trust Fund says it will partner with the Nigeria Naval Base, Banda to strengthen security on the waterways.
Chairman, Kogi State Security Trust Fund, Hon. Abdulmalik Samari, made the statement during a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Naval Base, Banda-Lokoja.
Hon. Samari said that synergising with the relevant security agencies was necessary to effectively curtail the activities of criminal elements perpetrating evil within the nation’s waterways.
He described the role of his agency in the fight against crimes and related vices as crucial to the state and the nation at large, stressing that the dimension which criminals had assumed in recent
times required radical approach.
While noting that it was more difficult to fight crime on the waterways than on the land, Hon. Samari assured the base of his agency’s readiness to collaborate and partner with relevant security agencies in the state to reduce the crime rate to its barest minimum.
He then commended the Navy for protecting and keeping its immediate environment safe from crime and criminality, assuring them of the fund’s commitment towards addressing all the challenges faced by the command.
Responding, Commandant of the NNS Lugard, Commodore Adeyemi Adesanya described the internal security of Kogi as paramount to the Navy, and expressed his command’s readiness to
foster cooperation with the state government with a view to enhancing the execution of their respective mandates.
He however, highlighted some of the challenges hampering the base from carrying out its activities effectively to include; lack of operational vehicles and funds to equip
field officers.
In the same vein, the Trust Fund boss has appealed to partner organisations, corporate bodies, and privileged individuals to continue to donate both cash and materials in order to improve the
state’s security architecture.
Hon Abdulmalik Samari, made the appeal recently when he paid a courtesy visit to the office of Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support Project (APPEALS) in Lokoja,
Kogi State capital.
According to him, the core objective of the agency is to make funds available to security agencies in the state to enhance the fight against crime, adding that one percent of every contract awarded in the state is to be remitted to the agency.
While describing funding as key to addressing security challenges in the society, Hon Samari called for sustained contributions as according to him, fighting crime should be the collective responsibility of all.
Responding, the Project Coordinator of APPEALS Project in the state, Dr. Sanni Ozomata, said the project is a World Bank programme tailored at providing support for farmers to enable them produce, process, expand and market their farm produce.
Dr. Ozomata assured the Security Trust Fund of its cooperation, saying the APPEALS Project was ready to contribute one percent fund to the agency as required.
