The Kogi State Police Command has announced significant gains in a recent security offensive against bandit groups, revealing that many suspects were killed and their operational structures broken, though the precise locations of the operations were not made public.
In a statement released on Sunday, January 11, the Police Public Relations Officer, William Aya, said the achievements were recorded during an ongoing joint operation involving the police, the military and the Nigeria Police Force Air Wing.
“The ongoing onslaught against bandit operations in Kogi State by the joint police and military has yielded fruitful results.
“Bandits were flushed out, their networks dislodged, and scores were neutralised.
“The operation, which is being carried out with vigour, commitment, and utmost professionalism, and supported by the Nigeria Police Force Air Wing components through precision air strikes, led to these successes,” Aya stated.
The police command called on residents to remain alert and immediately report individuals with gunshot wounds, visible injuries or suspicious conduct to the nearest police formation.
Residents were also encouraged to assist security agencies by volunteering reliable information that could help identify and apprehend criminal elements operating within their communities.
“Security is a shared responsibility. Together, we can make Nigeria better,” Aya added.
He further made public the command’s emergency contact lines — 07038329084 and 08152195982 — for reporting suspicious movements across the state.
The operation comes amid a surge in bandit-related violence in parts of Kogi State over recent months. Between October and December, attacks on two churches heightened fear, prompting the Obaro of Kabba, Oba Solomon Owoniyi, in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Kabba, to suspend all religious activities indefinitely.
Most recently, on Saturday, January 10, residents of Zango in Lokoja reported hearing sporadic gunfire before four members of a single family were abducted. An elderly woman and a child were later released by the assailants as they fled the area.
Comments