Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has reaffirmed his administration’s unshakeable determination to tackle criminal elements, declaring that no part of the state will be surrendered to bandits, kidnappers, or syndicates threatening the safety of residents.

The Governor made the declaration at the Government House in Lokoja during an official inspection of newly procured Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other advanced security assets acquired by the state government.

To aggressively strengthen ongoing frontline security operations across the state’s three senatorial districts, Governor Ododo announced that the state government has ordered a fleet of 50 armoured protective vehicles. The Governor confirmed that the first batch of these tactical combat assets has already been delivered, fully inspected, and systematically deployed to active service hubs. Emphasizing that the protection of lives and property remains a sacred covenant and the fundamental base for sustainable economic development, Ododo stressed that the administration will continue to prioritize massive capital allocations to counter-terrorism measures.

“No amount of resources is too much when it comes to saving lives. We are ready to invest whatever it takes to protect our people and secure every community in Kogi State,” Governor Ododo stated.

In one of his strongest policy declarations since assuming office, Governor Ododo categorically ruled out any form of back-channel negotiation, tactical amnesty, or financial dialogue with active criminal syndicates. The Governor insisted that paying ransom or entering into concessions with kidnappers only serves to subsidize terrorism, expand their weapon procurement pipelines, and further incentivize the regional kidnap-for-profit industry. He maintained that state funds are better spent equipping legitimate law enforcement officers to dismantle criminal networks permanently.

He added, “I will never negotiate with criminals. I will never pay ransom to bandits. The money that would have been used for ransom is better invested in equipping our security agencies to confront and defeat them. They must leave our land.”

The arrival of the armored vehicles complements a wider preventive security framework being executed by the state. According to recent disclosures from the State Security Adviser, retired Commander Jerry Omodara, the administration is moving rapidly from reactive policing to active threat neutralization. As part of this comprehensive strategy, the state has finalized plans to commence the immediate training of approximately 500 forest guards. These specialized operatives will be heavily deployed to comb, map, and dominate local forest reserves, preventing armed bandits from utilizing difficult terrains as operational launchpads or hostage dens.

Governor Ododo reiterated that the state remains fully structured and prepared for the formal implementation of state policing, urging the National Assembly to expedite the necessary constitutional and legal frameworks to decentralize statutory law enforcement.