The Kogi State Government has launched a coordinated security operation aimed at safeguarding worship centres, schools, and other vulnerable public places across the state.
Chairman of Lokoja Local Government Area, Abdullahi Adamu, disclosed the development after a meeting with heads of security agencies to review the security situation in the state capital. The initiative follows a directive by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo in response to recent attacks on worshippers and schools in neighbouring states.
Speaking after the closed-door meeting, the Lokoja Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, ACP Abubakar Umar, said security agencies met with the local government chairman to assess the local security landscape and implement immediate preventive measures in Lokoja and surrounding communities.
Under the new arrangement, five joint security teams comprising personnel of the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Services (DSS), and local vigilante groups will patrol remote areas, with special focus on churches, mosques, and schools. The teams will also work to discourage night gatherings in identified vulnerable locations.
Umar said patrols and location mapping would commence immediately, in addition to community sensitization efforts and a compliance operation set to begin at once.
He called for the cooperation of residents and religious institutions, emphasizing that the operation is designed to prevent avoidable attacks and sustain peace across Kogi State.