26 kidnappers, collaborators arrested in Kogi

The ongoing onslaught against kidnapping and banditry has yielded fruits in Kogi State as the operatives of Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) have arrested 26 kidnappers in collaboration with the security agencies in Kogi West.

This was disclosed by the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), while briefing journalists on Tuesday in Odo-Ape, Kabba-Bunu LGA.

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He said the onslaught against kidnappers started two weeks within which the operation led to the arrest of 26 kidnappers and their collaborators

Omodara said the suspects include natives who have been aiding the activities of bandits by supplying them with logistics such as food, drinks, water, and others.

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“It is not only the kidnappers group in the forest that have been arrested, but also the natives that are collaborating with them.

“They serve as their logistics suppliers to the bandits and kidnappers in the bush.

“Our deep investigation after the death of the kidnapped retired Major Joe Ajayi, we discovered that some natives were involved.

“The arrested suspects are helping the security agencies to get to the root causes of the rising kidnapping in the area.

“You can see the harvest of arrests via what the state Government is doing.

“These are the people causing havoc in our forests.

“We are not going to allow it, we will be after them because Kogi is not any other state that criminals, bandits and kidnappers will want to ride on and occupy.

“The Kogi Government is very serious about it, and that is why we are calling on communities to imbibe first line of defense level, as vigilantes are allowed to carry certain levels of arms.

“We urge communities to develop some level of intelligence. Our women are currently being used to buy food and drinks and others, and sending it through some of the youths in the communities who are bandits collaborators.”

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