* As Gov. Ododo promises to rejig security architecture.
* Security trust fund distributes 315 motorbikes, boats to vigilantes, hunters.
The kogi state Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC has inducted 132 newly recruited officers and men into the service.
This is just as the Command equally joined their counterparts in Nigeria and across the world to mark the 2024 International Civil Defence Organisation ICDO day celebration , a day set aside to measure and gauge the promotion of civil protection, held over the weekend in Lokoja.
The Commandant, CD. Paul Igwebuike, commended the officers for their successful completion of the training with its mental, physical and social hardships during the period.
He said, this phase of the exercise wouldn’t have been successful without the active support of the Commandant- General of the corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi whose policies of revamping and rejigging the corps has yield positive transformation that gave birth to the passing out of the 132 officers and men who were recruited in 2022.
He charged the graduands to be positive in their disposition to service as today’s world is complex and confusing, but , they should remain excited and expecting rewarding experiences throughout their service years.
CD Igwebuike advised them to know that the security situation would continue to be uncertain and fluid with persisting combination of conventional and unconventional challenges, and urge them to persevere in variety of tasks that would be assigned to them.
He said their passing out today was not the end , but a new beginning of training and education in the corps as they are expected to ensure service before self, to be courageous and to be professionally minded in the discharge of their duties.
Earlier, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has assured his administration’s commitment to rejig security architecture that will respond effectively to all forms of security threats across the state.
The Governor admitted that the recent upsurge of kidnappings in some parts of the state , was an attempt by the criminal elements to fight back, but , with the deployment of latest technology the criminals would be demobilised and degraded.
The Governor, who was represented by the State Security Adviser Commodore Jerry Omodara noted that since his administration came on board, there has been criminals elements trying to fight back at the system.
He said “Security is a work in progress. Now that there is a new Government in Kogi State, we began to realize that there is a fight back by criminals. We have a solid foundation as far as security is concern in Kogi State.
“That is the reason we quickly reviewed again the security architecture of the State and every loopholes we needed to block. We are already sniffing them out. We have issues of almost three kidnapped cases simultaneously along Obajana Kabba road.
” That almost gave us another bad name. I can assure you today that the State have tackled them very well. The Governor is determined.
” We are ensuring that, we don’t sleep. There is 24 hours patrol in Kogi. We are blocking every roads. We know the challenges before now. The current Governor Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo is determined and ever ready to sustain the foundation of security he inherited from the previous Government and also improve on it. And that is why we are investing heavily on technical and human intelligence.
“When we have the security working as one body, you will discover that we will achieve results. Insecurities is community based. We have also involve security at the grassroot. We are carrying the hunters along and reviewing the Kogi State Vigilantes activities. We are bringing them to be a serious fighting force to make sure Kogi is kept save.
” Kogi State is too critical to Nigeria and Federal Capital Territory. If Kogi State is not safe, the FCT is not safe. We are not going to allow what is happening in neighbouring State to happen in Kogi State. The Governor is determined and we are going to do it
According to him” Our security situation continues to be uncertain and fluid with persisting combination of conventional and unconstitutional challenges. You will therefore, see yourselves being involved in a variety of tasks. You must however, see your graduation today as not the end, but a new beginning of your training and education in the Corps.
“The present Government in Kogi State is poised to flush out criminalities. And we are all out for it. Security keeping is a serious business and all hands must be on deck. Criminal have started fleeing away. We will tackle them head on. In terms of protection of critical national assets which falls within our mandate, we are already to safe guarding that. Vandalization and all that is associated with it will come to an end in Kogi State” He reassured
Speaking from the sidelines, the Chairman of kogi state Security Trust Fund, Hon. Abdulkareem Ohiare said, his organisation has completed arrangements to distribute 315 motorbikes, fifteen per local Government council and six Engine boats to riverine LGAs to the local vigilantes and Hunters to enhance their capabilities in fighting criminal elements in the state.
He said, in addition, the fund has undertaken the refurbishment of operational vehicles for security agencies across the state.
