The Governor Yahaya Bello said Kogi remains the safest state in Nigeria despite the recent attack that claimed the life of a commissioner and the abduction of a local government area in the north-central state.
“I will reiterate that Kogi State is the safest state in Nigeria today. It doesn’t mean that there are no pockets of issues that we are grappling with.
“Like I always say, they will come in their numbers but they will never return back, especially the criminals. Yes, there are some notorious spots in the state,” Bello told Channels TV.
However, Governor Bello, in another statement issued by Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, said his administration is working hard to rescue Mr Pius Kolawole, the abducted Chairman of Yagba West Local Governments Area of the state.
The statement reads:
”We wish to report, with every sense of sobriety, the unfortunate attack by some gunmen on a Commissioner in the Kogi Pension Commission, Late Solomon Adebayo and also the Chairman of Yagba West LGA, Pius Kolawole, on their way back to the state from Kwara.
”We can confirm authoritatively that the unfortunate incident happened shortly after Eruku, Ekiti Local Government, Kwara. Adebayo died as a result of gun wounds sustained from the sad incident.
”The whereabouts of the Chairman of Yagba West LGA is still unknown but security agencies in both Kwara and Kogi, as well as local security services are working hard to ensure the safe return of the chairman”, the statement reads.
The statement added that in spite of the incident happening on Saturday, the Kogi Government had been circumspect in making official statements in order not to do anything to throw into jeopardy, the efforts of security agencies on the matter.
”But it is also incumbent on a responsible Government like ours to speak to our people and assure them that Kogi will spare nothing to remain the safest in the country.
”We also wish to caution those making statements which are capable of undermining the security of the state to desist from such an unpatriotic wish for anomie.
”It is high time we came together to make our nation safe, secured and governable.
”The Government and the people of Kogi are also determined to make Kogi peaceful and safe. Our Government has the backing of the people and the security agencies to keep Kogi safe”, Fanwo said.
The statement further commiserated with the family of the late Solomon Adebayo, the people of Yagba West and the entire Kogi Pension Commission over his demise.
He described the late pension board commissioner as a hardworking and patriotic gentleman who contributed immensely to the state’s Pension Administration Revolution, saying he would be sorely missed.
”We thank all good-spirited agencies and private individuals who have stood with us in this dark time.
”As a government, we will recommit ourselves to collaborating with neighboring States to ensure security of lives and property”.
