Kogi Youth Leader condemns rising killing, insecurity in Nigeria

The Voice of the Citizens has criticized the Federal Government over the persistent insecurity in Kogi State and various parts of the country.

President of the group, Dr. Ahmed Ubianya on Saturday in Lokoja expressed disappointment over the government’s inability to stem the tide of violence and killings in the state and some parts of the country.

Boko Haram was founded as an Islamic sectorial movement in 2002 by Muhammad Yusuf, ever since the emergence of boko harem in 2009 as terrorist group alleged to have been formed by a state government to be used as an instrument of electoral malpractice, which eventually escalated into a full blown terror group today in the country. 

"First, it underscores long-standing weaknesses in our security architecture – inadequate intelligence gathering, slow operational response, insufficient inter-agency coordination, and in some cases, the infiltration of criminal elements into local communities and the military without effective tracking. The perpetrators are emboldened when they perceive that consequences are minimal or that state security presence is reactive rather than preventive.

Secondly, this is not only a law enforcement challenge – it is a governance and justice problem. In many of these areas, communities feel abandoned, and justice for victims is either delayed or denied. That vacuum creates space for reprisals, cycles of violence, and the flourishing of non-state armed groups.

“Thirdly, the government’s inability to find a lasting solution is partly because these killings are rooted in deeper issues: competition over land and resources, ethnic and religious intolerance, climate-induced migration pressures, and the proliferation of small and light fire arms.

In 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the governorship election in Kogi State which was allegedly supervised by APC led government with Yahaya Bello being the sitting governor while some political opposition who were privy to very vital information pertaining the election results were targeted and some lost their lives due to that. 

He further emphasized on some events that has happened during this administration, an example is story of Segun Aremu a traditional ruler and a retired army general who was shot dead and family abducted, Several travellers from Umuahia, Abia State, were abducted when two luxury buses belonging to GIG and ABC Transports were hijacked in Inyele Eteke, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.

In 2019 a Peoples Democratic Party woman leader Mrs Salome Abu who had a first hand information of what Yahaya bello and his APC thugs where doing was burnt alive right in her home and till today, justice is not served, The same Bello have become an APC favourite politician of all time. 

The action of the APC led government had led to the disappearance of opposition figures in various state. A glaring example is the Social Democratic Party (SDP) members Mr. Emmanuel A. Okpanachi, Mr. Edogbanya ugbeamela and the Labour Party (LP) members who had first hand information on the outcome of the 2023 governorship elections as alleged on the guardian newspaper by the SDP governorship candidate Muritala Ajaka November 2023.

Information has it that Mr Edogbanya Ugbeamela who was abducted in broad daylight is reportedly murdered in cold blood after he refused to disclose the whereabouts of his colleagues and accept bribe in exchange for his silence,pertaining to the outcome of the 2023 election. According to the police, the allegations are under investigation, but it obvious Emmanuel Okpanachi and the family are at large. Like other cases, it will eventually be swept under the carpet.

The government is busy looking for means to defend themselves instead of doing the actual governance work, take for example, the middle belt states are alleging that the Federal Government is aware of the Christian genocide accusations because Christian are being killed, churches and homes burnt on a daily basis, he added. 

It is now clear that the government is not interested in tackling the menace of terrorism bedeviling the nation instead but bent on looting the common wealth of the nation.