Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed security agencies operating in the state to stop making arrests at night, warning operatives against invading residents’ homes under the cover of darkness.
Ododo issued the directive while addressing first-class traditional rulers at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Lokoja.
He said security personnel with cases against individuals should wait until daytime, invite them lawfully and follow due process.
“No arrest should be made in the night. If you have any case against anybody, wait till daytime, follow due process, invite the person lawfully,” the governor said.
He warned security operatives against harassing, intimidating or forcibly removing residents from their homes at night, stressing that such conduct would not be tolerated by his administration.
The directive was contained in a statement issued by the Kogi State Government after the governor’s meeting with the traditional rulers.
Ododo also tasked the monarchs with monitoring security operations in their respective domains and reporting any operative found violating the directive.
The governor’s directive came as he urged traditional rulers to play a greater role in maintaining peace ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He called on political actors in the state to avoid inflammatory campaigns and focus on issues affecting residents, warning against the use of religion and ethnicity to deepen political divisions.
“We cannot be killing ourselves to get to a position. Campaigns should be issue-based, not about religion or ethnicity. We are all Kogites,” Ododo said.
He urged traditional rulers to caution their subjects against political violence and ensure that disagreements among political supporters did not escalate into attacks or destruction of property.
Also Read: Ododo taps Kogi’s mineral wealth to drive development
The governor’s appeal comes as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, with Kogi expected to remain an important state in the political calculations of the major parties.
Ododo also expressed concern over alleged local support for criminal elements operating in parts of the state. According to him, the security challenges facing the state are being aggravated by residents who allegedly provide food, logistics and information to criminals hiding in forest areas.
“Our problem now is not foreigners. It is our own brothers and sisters supplying food, logistics and information to criminals in the bush,” he said.
He specifically drew the attention of the traditional rulers to the activities of some woodcutters, urging them to engage members of the association and warn them against actions that could facilitate criminal activities.
The governor warned that anyone found assisting criminals would face the consequences, regardless of their connections.
He also said his administration had introduced measures to disrupt the logistics and supply networks sustaining criminal activities, including measures affecting compromised markets.
The meeting placed additional responsibility on traditional institutions to support the state’s security architecture while ensuring that residents were not subjected to unlawful treatment.
Ododo urged the monarchs to work closely with security agencies while ensuring that security operations within their communities were conducted in accordance with the law.
The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting Kogi State in infrastructure and security, citing ongoing federal road projects and other interventions.
He said the Federal Government’s support had contributed to efforts to improve security and infrastructure across the state.
For residents, the most immediate significance of the directive is the governor’s warning that security operations must not be used to intimidate or unlawfully harass citizens.
The directive places responsibility on security agencies and their commanders in Kogi to ensure that arrests are carried out lawfully and with due regard for the rights and dignity of residents.
EightEleveenMedia
