Special Report:
Gov. Bello And Security Challenge In Kogi

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi has won accolades for his fight against violent crimes in his state.


Before the assumption of Governor Yahaya Bello on January 27, 2016 as the fourth executive governor of Kogi State, the state that prides itself as the Confluence State of Nigeria was virtually on the lane of a failed state because of the security challenges facing the area. There was hardly any day that there were no reports of armed robbery, kidnapping, farmers-herders clashes, among other crimes. Governor Bello did not allow the security challenges to weigh him down. He took some far reaching measures and decisions which changed the narrative, including buying vehicles, for security men, and bolstering the local vigilantes.

More than two years into his administration, the narrative has changed, and his government is among those rated the best in security, even by the Inspector-General of Police. That was not all. Not long ago Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was also recognised over his efforts at tackling insecurity and other vices in the state. A London-based publication, Elegance Magazine, is among the bodies recognizing the youthful governor for his service to the state. The publication has selected a him as one of the recipients of the 2017 Elegance Recognition Award for Africa by the London based newspaper outfit; The Elegance Magazine. The publisher of the magazine, Ms Lady Chilel Sarr, in a statement not long ago, said the governor’s tactical approach to tackling insecurity and broaden communication of government activities earned him the award. She said at Government House Lokoja: “May I use this opportunity to congratulate you on your achievements within this short time in office. The quality of leadership and your style of governance and security you adopted in the administration of Kogi State is a model to other state of Nigeria. “It is in view of these efforts, that Elegance Magazine nominates you for the Security and Press Freedom award in view of your efforts at curbing kidnapping, and other violent crimes in the state. And making policies stay at the corridor of the masses through effective communication with the people of the state.”

She added: “Your Excellency, you are one of the few with huge success stories. Your achievements as business man, politician and governor of Kogi State; speak volume about the success in Africa”. Elegance Magazine is a pan – Africa Magazine published in London and circulating in USA, Canada, and eight African countries. The Director General on Media and Strategy to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo is thrilled with the award. The governor’s spokesman said it was an honour well deserved by his principal in view of his contribution to ensuring the security of the state. He said: “The administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello has recorded giant strides in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructures and job creation. We are on track to delivering development to the state through our New Direction Agenda. His Excellency will continue to ensure progress in the state as well as enthrone an effective civil service which is capable of helping his administration change Kogi State from hopelessness to prosperity”. Fanwo said the administration of Bello would remain focused despite the deliberate attempts to distract it. According to Fanwo: “The award doesn’t go to people who completely eradicate crimes in the society, because the society will never be totally free of crimes and criminalities”. The spokesman added: “The award is a special recognition of what the Governor has been doing so far to ensure security of lives and property in the state. Before Governor Yahaya Bello came in, Kogi was almost a failed state. Arms proliferation, youth unemployment, political thuggery, the nodal nature of the state and many other factors combined to make Kogi the centre of crime.”

Fanwo said Governor Bello came with a blueprint to develop the state and make it rise up to fulfilling the aspirations of her people. “He knows this can’t be achieved in an unsecured environment, hence the need to beef up security. The Governor changed the security architecture of the state, launched the Operation Total Freedom, provided patrol vans and modern technological gadgets to law enforcement agencies and returned the confidence of the people in their police. No security measure can be effective without the cooperation of the people. Statistically, we have improved tremendously and dramatically. That is not to say we still not contend with few incidents of insecurity. In Kogi under Governor Yahaya Bello, every life counts. We are moving forward. Kogi gets 300-man security outfit to fight robbery, kidnapping and other vices.” Outside the government circle, Governor Yahaya Bello’s rating in crime fighting and prevention did not come to many as a surprise.

In one of his initiatives to combat crime in the state, at the height of violent crimes, he inaugurated a 300-man-joint security outfit dedicated to fighting kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes in the state. His special adviser on security, Jerry Omodara, said in Lokoja that the outfit is code named: “Operation Total Freedom.” Mr. Omodara, who inaugurated the outfit on behalf of Governor Bello on Sept. 7, said that members of the outfit were drawn from the police, the army, the navy and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Not long before that, the state government had handed over 114 patrol vehicles to the various security agencies in the state. According to him, the state government will provide the outfit with communication equipment to ease communication flow among its members. He said the state government had also worked out issues relating to stipends and other welfare for the outfit’s personnel.

Mr. Omodara advised traditional and religious leaders in various communities in the state to cooperate with members of the security outfit by giving them useful information about the activities of criminals and their hideouts. The special adviser said the Governor Bello-led administration was determined to ensure security of lives and properties of the residents of the state. Speaking in a similar vein, the governor said his administration would continue to partner with the police and other security agencies to combat crimes in the state. Governor Bello gave the assurance when the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 8, (comprising of Kogi, Kwara and Ekiti states) Tijani Baba, paid him a courtesy call at Government House, Lokoja. According to the governor, “The state government will not relent in its commitment to tackle the problem of insecurity in the state. We will derive maximum benefits from hosting the AIG among the rest states under the zone. My government will assist the zone to deliver in its services.” Bello who expressed delight that the crime rate in the state had dropped drastically, said: “I’m happy to inform you that my administration has purchased over two hundred Police Patrol Vehicles to assist in combating crimes which by the grace of God will be lunched on the 27th of this month as part of the activities to mark the twenty-five years of creation of the state.” He also drew the attention of the new AIG on the need to flush out some bad eggs in the police who always involve themselves in aiding and abetting crimes. According to the Governor, “It has been discovered that when the patriotic volunteers give useful information to the police, they lease it out to criminals; a development that is very unfortunate. I am glad that the state police command has been able to apprehend a lot of criminals across the state and wants the command to keep it up”. Earlier, Tijani Baba had informed the governor that he was not happy with the unending cases of kidnapping, robbery and murder in the zone hence the need for the assessment tour of all the states under his jurisdiction with a view to providing solution to the security predicament. He commended the Kogi state commissioner of police, Abdullahi Ibrahim for being able to identify black spots of criminal hide outs across the state, saying it is a giant step that will go a long way in finding lasting solution to the high level of insecurity facing the state.