Nigeria: Okun youths accused of aiding bandits in Kogi
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
The Kogi State government has raised concerns over reports that some youths in the Okun region are allegedly supporting bandits by delivering weapons, food, and other supplies. Officials say a few young people have even developed close relationships with these criminals.
According to the State Security Adviser, intelligence suggests that motorcycles are being used to move weapons and food into the forests where the bandits hide. He added that several youths are already under watch for allegedly working directly with the criminals.
He explained that some women in the area are also involved, either by supplying food or helping to smuggle ammunition into the region. “It is disturbing that a few of our women are even getting close to these bandits and assisting them,” he lamented.
The government has also discovered that certain residents in Yagba West have been paying bandits in exchange for protection, a practice officials strongly condemned.
The adviser stressed that anyone caught supporting these criminals would be treated as collaborators and face the same consequences as the bandits themselves.
He reassured the people that the government is committed to eliminating insecurity in the area, noting that many bandit leaders have already been arrested or neutralized. “We will continue until our communities are safe and our farmers can return to their farms without fear,” he said.
The government urged youths to channel their energy into agriculture and productive ventures instead of aiding criminals. Investments have been made in farming inputs, and officials encouraged residents to take advantage of these opportunities to improve their lives.
