Governor Ododo Vows to Reclaim Kogi Forests and Explicitly Rules Out Ransom Negotiations With Bandits

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has declared a definitive offensive against organized crime, promising that the state government will aggressively reclaim its vast forest reserves from criminal elements. Speaking during a high-profile visit to a specialized training camp for newly recruited Forest Guard trainees in Lokoja, the governor maintained that his administration will deploy all necessary lawful resources to deny violent actors a safe haven. The security push comes on the heels of a highly sophisticated bandit attack on the Iluke community in the Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, which tragically disrupted ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and resulted in the deaths of three residents, including a local school vice principal.

To decisively match the evolving operational tactics of modern criminal networks, who are increasingly utilizing drones and highly coordinated operational formations, Governor Ododo announced that the state has ordered 50 advanced armored protective vehicles to fortify local tracking lines. Crucially, the governor explicitly drew a hard line regarding state concessions, categorically ruling out any form of backroom diplomacy or financial capitulation. Asserting that public funds will strictly be routed toward bolstering the capacity of state actors rather than lines of appeasement, Ododo declared that the government will never negotiate with criminals or consider ransom payments under any circumstances. The Forest Guard framework is being executed as part of a synchronized national strategy approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, overseen directly by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure comprehensive profiling and tactical accountability.