Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo has said there are credible intelligence that some “agents of destruction” are behind the recent upsurge in security breaches in Okunland.
Fanwo disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying those behind the spate of security challenges will soon be exposed and dealt with.
“The recent spate of insecurity in Okunland should be a thing of great concern to all okun people”, he said, insisting that “Okun must look inward and purge herself of elements who think every act of insecurity is a discredit to the Government”.
His words: “We must interrogate the truth as a people. We must stop thinking insecurity is only a discredit to Government. Let us look at how it will affect our people. This is more important than political consideration.
“Who passed information about the movement of our Commissioner last Sunday? Who hinted the attackers? How come they accurately projected when he would get to where he was attacked?
“The Government of Kogi State has provided leadership and direction as to the security of the entire state. It is our duty to make it work in Okunland.
“Some politicians have been commissioned to discredit one of the strong points of Governor Yahaya Bello by causing panic across the land. It is unfortunate that we are playing politics with people’s lives.
“Politicians should leave us alone and allow us to have peace. No lifeless soul can play politics. We are monitoring some clandestine meetings in Abuja and the South West by some politicians commissioned to test our security resolve.
“Henceforth, we will rise against agents of bloodletting in our land. Any criminal found will be dealt with according to the letters of the law regardless of his or her ethnicity”.
On the visit of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, Fanwo said nothing incriminating was found him and that his visit was communicated to the right authorities.
“It is obvious that some people are hiding behind the visit of Sheikh Gumi to cause insecurity just to pin the alibi on the visit.
“Security agents were with Gumi and wouldn’t have condoned any act inimical to security of lives and property. We will expose the people fermenting trouble in Okunland”.
Fanwo said Royal Fathers and community leaders are working closely with the Government to ensure the security of the people.
He called on the people to report suspicious movements in the areas to security agencies in order to help in preventing crime.
“There was an attack in Mopa yesterday on a man whose only offense was just to have come out of his house to switch off his generator. Was it Gumi that also moved people there to attack him?
“Our transmission cable at Radio Kogi, Egbe was cut and burnt. Was it Gumi that doesn’t want people to know what is happening in the state? A lot of crimes have been aborted silently across Okunland in the last few weeks, even before Gumi visited.
“We are aware a lot of warlords from neighboring have been beating their chests that there would be violence in Okunland because someone visited the place. We reject such statements in its entirety and want to assure them that anyone hiding behind a finger to forment violence in Okunland will be dealt in accordance with the law”.
He called on the people to be vigilant and proactive in ensuring security of lives and property.
