Uja’Ache lauds FG on establishment of Army battalion in Kogi East

….decries abandoned Bagana – Guto bridge, haven for herdsmen killings.

The leadership of Uja’Ache Sociocultural Group based in Kogi State, has lauded the Federal Government for the approved establishment of an Army battalion in Ogidibeje in Kogi East by the Nigerian Army.

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The commendation was contained in a communique from a critical stakeholders’ meeting held in Anyigba in Dekina LGA, Kogi state and signed by the State Chairman of the Group, Comrade Idris Isah and Secretary General, Comrade Emmanuel Abogede.

In a press Statement made available to Capital Post in Lokoja, Kogi State, the Group while commending the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the entire Nigerian Army establishment said, they have demonstrated high sense of sensitivity, given the scourge of increasing terrorism, herdsmen killings, kidnapping and criminality in that part of the State.

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Uja’Ache Group also aknowledged the laudable impact of President Ahmed Bola Timubu’s ‘Renew Hope Agenda’ in quality road construction and remodeling of our highways which is commendable. It appreciate the administration’s desire to create a level play field among political aspirants in 2027, based on Merit and popularity, in the fold of Option A4, devoid of kangaro allocation of elective seats, a fertile ground for political thuggery.

Uja’Ache Sociocultural Group however expressed sadness on the wave of widespread coordinated killings of villagers across three local government areas, of Dekina, Omala and Bassa. The serial, coordinated killings of the agrarian villagers mainly women and children by the killer herdsmen in Kogi East, is an aberration where governments dutifully exists.

The group challenged the senator and three House of Representatives, representing Kogi East campaigning for re-election to demonstrate commitment and feel the impulse of the people of the constituencies they are representing by a swift rise up to their responsability by ensuring, these carnage are brought to a halt expeditiously.

Much worrisome the group insist is the popular Bagana – Guto Bridge across River Benue earlier flagged – off by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo Administration in his second tenure, with the tape cut by President Obasanjo himself, but has been abandoned for the last twenty-two years, with little or no political will by government and consideration for the political capital of Kogi State, particularly, Kogi East that habour the federal project.

The Group therefore appealed to President Ahmed Bola Timubu’s Re-new Hope Agenda’ to consider the completion of the
Bagana – Guto Bridge designed to connect the vehicular traffic from South – East and South – South States to Nassarawa and FCT at shortest distance and costs.

Besides, the Socio-economic importance and tax revenue that accrue from this ancient town of Bagana, given its strategic location in Kogi State, warehousing one of the largest market in Kogi State, attended by high profile merchants from far and near, not less than seven states that includes, Nasarawa, FCT, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Edo among others, the fortune that attracted the Federal Government under President Obasanjo to harness the express route through Ankpa – Abejukolo – Bagana – FCT, is greatly being undermined, Uja’Ache noted.

The non completion of this multipurpose bridge, Uja’Ache lamented, has left the exodus of population attracted to Bagana environs prior to the construction work idle, in object poverty and a beehive of herdsmen intense harassment and attack on Farmers currently in Agojeju – Odo, Bagaji, Okpatala, Drisu, Agbenema, all neighboring Bagana, the theater of killing over the years.

Uja’Ache leadership has also admonished Kogi youth and particularly those in Kogi East to prioritize their Socio-economic and political life, by investing their energy and resources on large scale cash crop farming to create a long lasting pension for themselves and their children, while taking their education very crucial, as it remained the bedrock of our socioeconomic livelihood.

Youth are aso tasked to participate in developmental politics without hate and thurgry, absence of which they and their children will be coarced to follow the rule of hooligans and dubious politicians, the group assured.

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