Kogi State government has reiterated endorsement of a recent joint operation by security agencies, wherein a notorious gang leader was neutralised.
Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, who stated this at a quarterly press briefing, in Lokoja, yesterday, stressed that no amount of blackmail by enemies of the state would stop government from protecting life and property of residents and cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies to rid the state of crime.
He said the Kogi State government will not submit its authority to criminals, while calling on security agencies to invite for thorough investigation those tagging the operation, ‘extrajudicial killing’.
“They must be held to account for their claims,” he said, noting: “We can’t come, this far, taming terrorists for the past 90 months, only to lose to garrulous crime-sponsors defending a criminal.”
The commissioner said government would do everything within the curve of law to guarantee a peaceful poll in November, warning that intimidation, ethnic, religious profiling and other anti-social and unconstitutional acts would be met with stiff resistance.
“It is our responsibility to give confidence to our people that they are free from attacks while exercising their franchise,” he said. Fanwo added: “The recent happening at Ejule was a necessary stitch-in-time, led by security agents to rid our state of criminality. For the umpteenth time, we reiterate our endorsement of the operation that has brought down insecurity in that area by over 40 per cent.
“The late Kabir Bala, popularly known as Okwo, was a terror in the East, kidnapping and raping young women and housewives and terrorising the entire Kogi East.
“Motorists traversing the state were subjected to ‘Okwo levy’, to the embarrassment of the state, among other acts of extreme intimidation and criminality.
“Chapter 4, Section 33 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria talked extensively about various rights conferred on the citizens of Nigeria, one of which is the right to life. But these rights have limitations.
“Kabir Bala opened fire on security operatives with the intent to murder them. According to report by the security agencies, they engaged his gang at this point and he was neutralised in the process.”
“A person who attempts to evade lawful arrest and even attempts to kill security agents can no longer hold on to such rights. His killing couldn’t be termed extra-judicial by any standard.”
