The lawmaker representing Yagba West State Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Ibikunle Idowu has decried the spate of insecurity in his Constituency.
In his motion of Urgent Public Importance on the floor of the House on Tuesday, the lawmaker lamented that Ogbe Community in Yagba West local government area of the state is confronted with critical insecurity issue that requires immediate attention.
“The community, which has a first-class paramount ruler and a third-class traditional ruler, is plagued by insecurity, daily killings, and abductions, particularly targeting young men.
“As a predominantly farming community, the ongoing violence has made it impossible for residents to go to their farms, exacerbating the situation.
“The recent killing of a vibrant community youth and the abduction of two others, who remain missing, have created a sense of urgency and fear among the residents,” the lawmaker lamented.
He cited the community’s strategic location as a border town to Ekiti State, saying it is essential to deploy active security personnel and vigilantes to monitor the activities of marauders who have turned the community into a battle ground.
“The Kogi State Government and relevant authorities must take immediate action to address the insecurity concerns and restore peace to the Ogbe community,” Idowu said.
The lawmaker prayed the House for deployment of additional security personnel to the area to deter attacks and abductions.
He further suggested the establishment of a community vigilante group to work closely with security agencies and provide intelligence on potential threats.
“Providing support to farmers and entrepreneurs will help them recover from the economic impact of the violence. There should be dialogue between community leaders, security agencies, and other stakeholders to address underlying issues and work towards reconciliation,” he added.
Seconding the motion, the Member representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Hon. Abu Onoru-Oiza Jibrin maintained that the issue of insecurity remains a great concern to everyone in the state, charging the security agencies to double their efforts to nip crimes and criminalities in the bud.
In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf directed the House Committee on Security and Vigilante to look into the matter.
