Senator representing Kogi West district in the National Assembly, Sunday Karimi, has praised the Department of State Services (DSS) for partnering with the Joint Task Force and vigilantes to rid his Senatorial district of kidnappers and criminal elements.
Karimi noted that the senatorial district had endured prolonged assaults by bandits and other terrorist groups, resulting in the kidnapping of 30 persons within a week.
The senator, however, demanded the safe rescue of Ajayi Bello, a prominent livestock farmer kidnapped and still in captivity for the last two weeks.
Karimi, in a statement in Lokoja on Tuesday, noted that the commendation followed the recent alarm he raised on the floor of the Senate on the rise in kidnappings and the possible politically-motivated criminality to destabilise his zone.
According to Karimi, the sustained operations are essential to achieving lasting security, stressing that the effectiveness of vigilantes rests on actionable intelligence provided by the DSS.
This synergy, he emphasised, has been instrumental in the recent decimation of criminal networks operating in Kogi West.”
The senator also commended the efforts of the National Security Adviser in ensuring strategic synergy between security organisations and local vigilantes nationwide, calling for immediate legislation to establish the planned forest guards.
Karimi’s remarks align with recent statements from Kogi State’s security leadership, including Special Adviser on Security, Commodore Jerry Omodara (Rtd.), who has vowed to eradicate banditry and kidnapping from the state’s forests.
Omodara has recently disclosed strategic measures to fortify border security and enhance community-based vigilance, urging residents to support local security efforts by providing timely intelligence.
The senator also reiterated his call for continued cooperation among all security agencies, underscoring the need for a unified approach to safeguard Kogi West. His advocacy reflects growing public demand for decisive action, following reports of over 30 abductions in the district within a single week—a crisis he previously described as a “coordinated assault on peace.”
“With the DSS deepening intelligence operations, vigilante groups gaining stronger operational support, and the Joint Task Force maintaining an aggressive posture, Kogi West is witnessing a renewed push to dismantle criminal hideouts and restore stability,” he said.
