From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Igala Cultural and Development Association (ICDA) and Ukomu Igala Organisation(UIO) have called on Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to adopt security strategy of using drones technology to detect camps of bandits and kidnappers in the forest through aeriel surveillance and ground operations.
The leadership of the cultural groups in a joint statement made available to Journalists in Lokoja on Tuesday, said the call has became necessary considering the increasing activities of bandits, kidnappers and ritualists roaming the forests and the highways day and night.
According to the statement signed by Elder David Abuka and Col Tijani Musa (rtd), the groups acknowledged the unwaivering commitment of Gov Ododo’s administration to issues of security of lives and properties in the state.
“We know our governor has committed his energies and resources in the fight against internal and external criminals especially armed bandits and kidnappers. This is why we at the community level decided to compliment the efforts of the state government by putting in place local security arrangements to support the Nigerian police and Army deployed to safeguard our various communities.
“We wish to intimate our governor that we know of state governments across the country who have deployed military with drones to expose camps of bandits hiding in the forests. And we realized that the strategy of deployment of drone has given security agencies in such states an edge over the criminals in the forests.
“Therefore, we urge Kogi state under your leadership to adopt same security strategy on Kogi state as one of the effective strategy to rid Kogi forests of bandits and criminal element that have continued to make life difficult for residents.
Your excellency Sir, we have discovered through our community security efforts that our attempts to trace camps of kidnappers in our forests only yieded little results due to the absence of drones. But with your kind intervention through the provision of the drone technology, we will be able to root these criminals out of our forest.
Also speaking, heads of the Kogi East Neighborhood Watch (KENW) all we need at the local security efforts is government intervention through deployment of military men trained with the drones technology, only the state government can make this possible. “We have realized that the 12 Brigade troops can will achieve more results if they are equipped with the drone security gadgets”
“Most times, kidnappers will storm the highways and abducted passengers and disappeared into the forest, we often tried in vain to trail the kidnappers without the drones” said Col Tijani Musa.
The socio-cultural group commended the local security network across Kogi East for their efforts in the joint security operations with the military troops at the checkpoints.
Meanwhile, the Pastor of Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria (CEFN) Church, Pastor Friday Adehi and Brother Gabriel Ezekiel of the same Church were kidnapped shortly after church service on Sunday.
Our Correspondent gathered that both Clergies were traveling on a motorcycle when they ran into the kidnappers along Ajegwu -Ojodu road in Ofu local government of Kogi State.
The church members were said to have attended a naming ceremony of another member of the church after their church service on Sunday and we’re returning to their residence in Itobe when they were abducted at gunpoint.
An eye witness said, “The incident happened between 3-4pm 24th August 2025 (Sunday) when both members of the church was returning from Ojodu to Itobe ridding on his bike with another man accompanying him. Then the kidnappers who were laying ambush suddenly bursted on the road when they sighted the motorcyclist approaching. The kidnappers stoped them at gunpoint and directed them into the bush.
Our Correspondent learnt that the local vigilantes under the joint task force with the military are already on the trail of the kidnappers.
A community efforts to clear the bushes along the main road from Itobe to Anyigba to expose kidnappers laying ambush by the road side is in progress through funds contributed by philanthropist individuals, Dr Simeon Oyigu.
Meanwhile, the CEFN Church and other christian faithfuls have declare prayers and fasting for God’s intervention in the safety and freedom of the church members.
Our Correspondent reports that only yesterday, the apex Igala socio-cultural organizations ICDA and Ukomu Igala have called on the Kogi state government to prioritize the deployment of drone technology to effectively track kidnappers and bandits using the forests as their hideouts to negotiate ransom.
The groups believed strongly that only with such strategy will the joint task force achieve results on their war against criminals in the forests.
The Police public relations Officer SP William Ovye Aya is however, unavailable to confirm the incidence as his phone line was not accessible.
