Nigerian Army
Mixed Reactions Trail Curfew In Central District
Against the backdrop of perceived frustration of residents of Kogi Central, officials of Operation Lion Roars have arrested over 30 criminals in the state.
Consequently, the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has extended the 24-hour curfew imposed on the Kogi Central Senatorial District till further notice to consolidate on the security gains recorded so far.
Operation Lion Roars is a joint task security force comprising the military, mobile police, State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The operation, which started last Thursday, affected all the five local councils of Okene, Okehi, Adavi, Ajaokuta and Ogori/Magongo in Kogi central.
The Guardian checks revealed that more arrests have been made by the agents of Operation Lion Roars, as security sources said the operation has recorded unprecedented feat in apprehending criminals in the area.
“The curfew has been extended “indefinitely to achieve even greater results,” he said.
A statement yesterday by the Director of Media and Publicity to the governor, Kingsly Fanwo, said Bello commended the security agencies for their efforts at ridding Kogi Central of criminals.
Bello assured the people that their sacrifices will be rewarded with better security in the area to enable them pursue their goals.
In a related development, mixed reactions yesterday trailed the 24-hour curfew imposed on residents of the Central Senatorial District beginning from midnight, the notice of which was given within an hour to its commencement.
Residents were jolted to the information, as it was broken to the public by the chief press secretary to the governor, Petra Akinti Onyegbule that the curfew will last for 24 hours and would be absolute, as no movement shall be allowed.
A former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bello, said they just woke up in the morning to receive the shocking news of a declaration of 24-hour curfew in Kogi Central.
“As a former lawmaker, it baffles me a lot to see that issues are being tackled unlawfully. Before a Governor can declare curfew to restrict movement of people, it has to be backed by law.
He said the district has been notorious for unexplained killings and attacks on the military and security operatives, adding however, that government needed to carry the people along as to the reason behind the action.
“My appeal is that everybody should continue to pray for peace and support the government to ensure that things are brought under control,” he said.
A former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (MBA) in the state, Williams Aliwo, said he was in the dark on the issue, saying that there was nothing the people could do about something they do not know anything about.
“As the chief security officer of the state, the governor must have been with security reports that necessitated that kind of action to forestall a breakdown of law and order. He has the authority to do that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bello has urged politicians in the state to discharge their duties with the milk of human kindness.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media Affairs, Femi Fanwo, said the governor does not bear grudges against anyone in the state.
Bello spoke during a courtesy visit by some royal fathers and community leaders in respect of the disrupted celebration, assured that he would leave no stones unturned to keep the peace in Kogi State.
“Politicians should stop testing God by thinking of 2019. It was God that made me governor and only He knows where I will be in 2019. I will continue to give my best to this state of great people. My ego is not worth any life. We shall continue to put Kogi on the right path,” he said.
