Promises massive deployment of security.
By Gift Idoga CPS to CTC.
Today, the 4th of May is a day the people of Agojeju-Odo and Bagana communities in Omala Local Government Area will not forget in a hurry. The people of Omala Local Government trooped out en masse to welcome His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo to the area. This is the first time in 12 years that a sitting Governor of Kogi State would visit the local government headquarters and its communities.
The Governor who was in the Local government area to condole with the people of Agojeju-Odo Community where people were massacred by suspected Fulani militia on the 4th of April, 2024 was welcomed by the Attah of Igala and the Chairman, Kogi State Traditional Council, HRH, Matthew Opaluwa Alhaji Oguche Akpa, CFR, The Chairman, Omala Transition Committee, Hon. Edibo Ameh Mark and his committee members and aides. The Governor was taken to the affected communities for an on the spot assessment of the incidence.
At Agojeju-Odo, the Community Leaders, of Agojeju-Odo Community, Comrade Elias Atabo thanked the Executive Governor, H.E. Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo for the visit, which he said was the first time a sitting Governor of Kogi is visiting their community. Mr. Atabo who traced the crisis in the community to 2014 and lamented that the unfortunate crisis only happened on their land without their involvement.
In his words, “The Agatus will attack fulanis and their cows on our land and when the fulanis come for reprisal, they will accuse my people of complicity and would attack us. This had been our plight since then”.
The community Leader pleaded with the Governor to provide his people with security so that his people can come back home to their family and farms. He said that farming is the primary concern of his people and their community. He also pleaded with the Governor to look into the deplorable State of roads linking the Communities of Idrisu/Okpotala/Bagaji-Odo/Agojeju-Odo/Ajokpachi-Odo, which according to him are very critical to the security and economy of these communities. Comrade Elias Atabo profoundly thanked His Excellency for the appointment of their Son, Hon. Edibo Ameh Mark as the Chairman, Omala Transition Committee. He described Hon. Edibo as a very young, pragmatic and hard working Leader.
The Attah of Igala and Chairman, Kogi State Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty, Matthew Alhaji Opaluwa Oguche-Akpa, CFR, thanked the Governor for this visit which is not only timely but also a morale booster to the people of the area in the wake of the recent killings in Agojeju-Odo, saying that the visit had shown that the Governor has a listening ear.He was quick to draw the attention of the Governor to the deplorable conditions of the roads leading to the area.
He said, “My Governor, like this road they are talking about, you saw the condition of the roads, you passed through them. Please, assist us in constructing the roads. If these roads are good, Omala can produce the food that can feed the State and beyond. Please, assist us”.
The Governor said that his visit was to sympathise with the people of Agojeju-Odo and the entire state over the killings that happened in April and to see things for himself.
The Governor traced the history of the crisis to as far back as 1978 and that his government will stop at nothing to end the crisis permanently. According to him, for the first time since the crisis began, arrests have been made, investigations are ongoing and as soon as the investigations are completed it shall be made public.
He said the problem is not spiritual but man-made. “Your Majesty, we don’t have problems with Agatu people from Benue State or the fulanis from Nasarawa State. The problem is being orchestrated from the land here. The two sides that are fighting probably because of the economic advantage of this land are the ones inviting these people to come and help them fight”, the Governor said.
Governor Usman Ododo also said that the President is concerned and has sent his sympathy and condolences to the people of Agojeju-Odo and Omala LGA as a whole. He said, “Mr. President is worried and has asked me to come and see things for myself and I’m happy that the heads of Security Agencies are here and by the grace of God, I will work with them to make sure this land is protected.
According to him ” We have applied several times for the establishment of a Forward Operations Base (FOB) here and as God will have it we are all here as first hand witnesses to what is happening here and I believe this will fast track the establishment of the FOB here. As a State, we have keyed into the agricultural transformation agenda of Mr. President and Kogi State is working tirelessly to feed this nation and Omala Local Government is one of the local government areas we are looking up to to actualise this and therefore we will not allow our people, our farmer to be relegated to the background”.
Governor Ododo said that the people of Agojeju Odo community are part of the state and they must be protected. He said that the government will do whatever needs to be done to provide Security post at Agojeju Odo as soon as possible and that they would also continue to pursue the establishment of the FOB. “of course,we have water here too, the Navy man is here and he will make sure our waterway is protected”.
The Governor appreciated everyone who came out to receive him and made a solemn request. “I want to appreciate all of you and beg of you, especially our fathers to caution our people,,especially the youths not to engage in activities that could undermine the peace of our land, they should not take laws into their hands; they should strive to protect their land because enemies of the land, and enemies of Kogi State are there trying to pull us down but by the special grace of God we will not allow that”.
On the issue of roads, the Governor said he has seen the roads and doesn’t need any further reports. “You elected us to serve you and you will be served”, Governor Ododo has said. The Governor also promised to direct the State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to supply the community with more relief materials to alleviate their plight.
At Bagana, the Chairman, Omala Transition Committee, Hon. Edibo Ameh Mark said the major issue here is who owns and controls Bagana. He recalled that Bagana, a riverine community in the Local Government Area was the main economic hub of the Local Government Area because of the economic advantage of River Benue and its market. “Till today, Bagana market is one of the few markets in Nigeria where the ancient trade by barter system is still active. The crisis is chiefly fueled by who controls the revenue from this place”, the Chairman has said. Hon. Edibo also said that he’s confident that by the coming of the Governor to Omala and particularly to Bagana today, peace will return to Bagana and it will become an independent community again.
The Governor expressed shock at the wanton destruction of properties. He said Kogi is our own and nobody will fix it for us; we must fix it ourselves.”
Governor Ododo hinted that the crisis in Bagana is a conflict of personal and selfish interests assured the people that total peace will return to Bagana again. He said arrests have been made from both sides, useful and credible information that will lead to the root of the problems have been supplied by those in custody and with time, peace will return to the land.
” By my coming to Bagana today, peace will surely return to our communities. We are committed to ending this crisis, give us time and the bagana crisis will be solved once and for all”, the Governor said.
The Governor also reminded the Brigade Commander of his earlier plea for the urgent establishment of an FOB in the Local Government Area in order to safeguard lives and properties of the people. He also talked to the Naval Commander for the establishment of a Naval Base at Bagana to police the waters in order to prevent criminals from using the water as entry points to the riverine communities.
On hand to receive the Governor were the Attah of Igala and the Chairman, Kogi State Traditional Council, Matthew Opaluwa Alhaji Oguche-Akpa, CFR, The Chairman, Omala Transition Committee, Hon. Edibo Ameh Mark, the member representing Omala Constituency in Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Umar Yahaya, The Honourable Commissioner for Transportation, Hon. Atuluku Victor Levi (AVL), Amb. Isaac Onuh, Hon. Yakubu Ibrahim Aboh, Former Executive Chairman, Omala LGA, members of Omala Transition Committee, Traditional Rulers and other sons and daughters of Omala.
The Governor was accompanied on this visit by the Deputy Governor, Comrade Joel Oyibo Salifu, the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, the Deputy Speaker, KGHA, Hon. Comfort Nwochiola, member representing Ajaokuta Federal Constituency, Hon. Abdulraheem Egide Sanni, Member representing Omala Constituency, KGHA, Hon. Umar Yahaya, Kogi State State APC Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ozigi Deedat, Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Hon. Bashir Gegu, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Hon. Baby Okute, Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon. Monday A. Anyebe, Commissioner for Women Affairs, State Security Adviser, Hon. Jerry Omodara, State Auditor-General, Yakubu Okala, Nigeria Army Brigade Commander, Naval Commander, Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, Commandant, NSCDC, Kogi State Command, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, all Transition Committee Chairmen from Kogi East, Former chairmen of Local Government from Kogi East, among other dignitaries.
