Kogi Government Insists It Will Not Negotiate With Criminals
The Kogi State Government has reiterated that it will not engage in negotiations with criminal groups, declaring that it has the capacity to confront rising security threats across the state.
Kogi, one of the North-Central states battling frequent attacks, has witnessed a surge in kidnappings in recent weeks. Last week, armed bandits carried out two separate abductions in Yagba East Local Government Area, though security operatives later rescued five victims. On Sunday, another attack was recorded in Yagba West, where a pastor and his wife were abducted during a church service.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, ‘The Morning Brief’, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said the government remains firm in its stance.
“In Kogi State, we don’t negotiate. The governor has made it clear that he will not bow to any criminal. We have the capacity to take them out, we have the capacity to deal with the situation, so we are not going to negotiate with any of them.
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“We regret that in the exchange of fire between the kidnappers and security agencies, two people lost their lives. But many of the criminals now know that Kogi is a no-go area for them. We did not negotiate with any criminal, and we are not interested in doing so,” he said.
Fanwo added that the state would continue to deploy all available security resources to confront and neutralize criminal elements.
