Kogi became safer and peaceful under me – Governor Bello

Kogi became safer and peaceful under me - Governor Bello

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State Governor, says his administration has made the state safer even though he inherited a chaotic security apparatus.

The governor said that both citizens, residents, travellers, investors, and tourists in the State have continued to enjoy peace under his administration.

The governor says his claims are hinged on verifiable national data coming out of credible institutions.

The governor said this at the University of Abuja on Wednesday, during a Two-day colloquium organised by The Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace, Leadership and Developments Studies (SMIPLDS) where he featured as a keynote speaker on issues bothering curbing insurgency and insecurity in the country.

Bello who was represented by Navy Commander Jerry Omodara, his State Security Adviser said Kogi state before he came on board had suffered insecurity, due to sheer laxity, corruption, and non-commitment of resources over the years.

He said nothing was put on the ground to secure infrastructure and manpower in the State as the security agencies found themselves trailing the highly mobile and logistically superior criminal franchise.

Bell noted that killing, bank robberies, jailbreak by Boko Haram insurgents, attack of offices of security agencies, kidnapping and other forms of criminality categorized the previous government and there was no political will and opacity in the use of security votes.

The Governor also added that Kogi under the previous administration suffered the most terrifying periods of extended and unrelenting insecurity the state has ever witnessed since inception.

Since he came to power, Bello said the state which was initially bedevilled with all these criminal vices, in April 2018, ranked as the 2nd most peaceful state in the country after Osun and the most peaceful in the North of Nigeria by the Nigerian Peace Index.

The State was also ranked as the State with the second lowest crime statistics in the country after Kebbi by the National Bureau of Statistics, he noted