DON'T VOTE ANY CANDIDATE WHO HAS DONE NOTHING ON SECURITY OR HAS NO PLAN ON IT, COME 2027 ELECTIONS IN KOGI STATE: None Is Better Than You, Their Police Hasn't Covered You and Won't Guarantee Your Safety... - By Dayo ONIBIYO

I am using this medium to call on His Excellency, Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman, #OUA , the working and listening Executive Governor of Kogi State, who has left no one in doubt as to his passionate care for the lives and properties of the residents and indigenes of Kogi State since assuming office in January, 2024, to ensure he works only with elected REPRESENTATIVES of the people, who has done something substantial or has a plan to show him towards recovering these Insecurities, as he alone, can't do it, despite being the Chief Security Officer of the State- Security Is Everyone's BUSINESS_ 

Governor Ododo did not just kick started the purchase and sharing of utility vehicles, light arms and other security logistics to all the 21 LGAs in Kogi State, but also went into human capacity development aspect by recruiting and even staffing some hands to support the state security architecture, this was extended to training, by this first term Governor, and as we read, he is not stopping, but putting on more effort, which can not be discussed in the public spaces or put to pen in the glare of the public, but it's effects are far reaching and noticeable daily.

The issue now is what are the Senators? three (3) of them in the State, what are they doing to complement these effort by the Governor? What are the nine (9) Federal House of Representatives members in the State doing to add values to the issue of combating insecurities and of course, to domesticate security in their own domain, due to terrains, activities, and peculiarities of different settings?

I am calling on the members of the State House of Assembly not to only jump onboard, but critically assess their domain with their LGA Chairmen and fashion out ways to ensure that what Governor Ododo is doing percolates and touch the last man standing, who should.sleepnwith his or her two eyes closed.

Without any doubt, you will agree that security is not one man's business, niether is it the business of Government alone, but that of everyman standing, because, once it happens, you can never tell the multiplier effect on the society. I challenge them to bring proof of beneficiaries of their Security intervention.

Let me at this juncture, call on the Chief Security Officer of the state, our able and dynamic versatile Governor, to set up a *PUBLIC INPUT FEEDBACK UNIT,* where people can do FEEDBACK on the effort thus far, on the ways the Security agents are going about their duties and of course, on the use of the vehicles and other facilities he has put in place, as this will ensure that, accountability is the order of the day, such will also reveal, if they do stay at their posts and what is their response values on the field to security situations, this kind of platform should allow for *ANONYMOUS* contributions, either be by e-mail or undisclosed text and call messages, where possible, *TOLL FREE,* this will not only make the structure on ground sit tight but also put them on their toes, while allowing *ACCESS to UNFITERRED INFORMATION* which is power. Who knows, such may mark or herald the commencement of _CITY SECURITY Monitoring Centre._ It can no doubt also, allow for *INFORMATION SHARING and MANAGEMENT* 

Sadly, some of the elected REPRESENTATIVES of the people have access to some vital documents on SECURITY solutions for over a year now, but refused to implement it, this of course bothers on MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION which is the real thrust and foundation of security issues anywhere in the world.

In those days, we hardly even know who works with the SECRET POLICE, from the CID in the Police to the Nigerian Security Organization as popularly known then (NSO), but these days, there is a dumb craze for immature rush to say *Do You Even Know Who You Are Talking To?* and before you say jack, or find a breath, some loose-mouth  officers are already introducing them themselves as DSS or CID, can you just imagine that, even in the 21st Century with the level of access to education and capacity building, this bastardization of identity, also makes many vulnerable and unable to tap or harvest needed information for necessary action(s).

I have said this somewhere and will repeat it here again, the present effort on SECURITY in Nigeria is over 80% placed on COMBATING, rather than DISCOVERY and NIP-IN-THE-BUD! (preventive), which of course is even a first line error by whoever, or whichever system is saddled with the policy making on Security!

Coming to the Electorates, that have voters card and will vote in 2027, it is important and crucial that you vote only people who care about your security, (SAFETY) and the reasons for that are not what you don't know as a voter. You are going to remain alive, only when you are safe.

For instance, no one can go to farm anyway or anytime he or she likes again for how many years now? worst still now, the dimension has changed from only destroying farmlands and produce, to entering of people's houses and kidnapping them, yet we have 109 Senators and 360 or more National Assembly Members covering over 774 LGA in Nigeria, meaning, they are representing the people.

These unfortunate acts of being unable to go to the farms or and markets anymore, has reduced the number of farmers, market women and men and off course the farm sizes and produce and as well demoralize even the few that still "stubbornly does", now the negative effects are too glaring from last year 2024, that we are fast loosing tones of food harvests and hunger is on the rampage, also having resultant effect on both quality of food available and the quantity to the populace.

If you won't vote out any office holder, who is not doing anything about your security or the one aspiring to be voted for without a clear-cut reasonable and convincing plan on Security then, we are doom already and saying no cause for alarm, when we are indeed becoming unsafe in our homes. We are not better than those whisked away in their homes and farm lands or markets.

Beyond 2027, if we continue to lose more farmers and what have you, then, we should be ready to face famine and more dangerously, skyrocketing prices of the fewer food items, that will be available in the market or in circulations, because they may not, even make it to the market.

It is therefore, important to once again charge the elected *REPRESENTATIVES* of the people to count every lives and properties as important, whereas, this is to remind them also, that there is a no queriable reason for the continuity of *AVOIDABLE DEATHS and WASTAGES* in our land anymore. They are not voted to be timid or lazy or unable to defend their people, no one is voted, to give excuses to the people.

It is good for them to put up their thinking caps and know that INSECURITY is one of the main reasons we are moving towards food shortages everyday in this country, and they should know that whatever, handouts they are giving to the people is either necessitated by same reason or underscored by it.

Our people are not lazy, not at all in Kogi State and if given the right environment to do their farming, fishing, trading and hunting businesses, they won't need anyone's to play their roles as fathers, mother's and parents, despite the fact that, it is also their money in the hands of their representatives, 

I remember those days, when our roads are yet tarred, I still met my late Grand Father Fagbemija Peter joining others to maintain Ife Ponyan, Ife - Ekinrin and Ife -Oranre roads through direct labour and their little earnings from the farms, supported by their children who sends home something to ensure the roads are kept morotable, but what do we have now, when the farmers don't even have yields, or are unable to go to farm or have so poor a yield from Insecurities of what the cows or thieves have left for them to pounce on, after devouring their farms from their own hard sweat.

It is understandable, though not acceptable that, our _electeds_ (sic) may not know about security or have the experience, or are not just *CONCIOUS* of the fact that, right now, we have that daring challenge before us, they should ask around, consult experts, review presentations, accept challengee, be holistic in the ones with them and make effort to do the needful.

Let me not sound prophetic to the negative, as I wonder, it they are waiting for when it would be their own turn or their parents or children that will be kidnapped or killed or those so close to them, before they *THINK OUT or DO SOMETHING* to prevent, the further deteriorating security situation in the country? then they have God to contend with and in just a very little time from now, they will be left to face the fact that, the Police and other security sorrounding them can't stop the menace of these merchants of deaths and destructions.

Only yesterday, 2nd of April, 2025, a full General of the Nigerian Army and a former DG of NYSC was released after 56 days in the den of kidnappers operating within Nigeria, not outside Nigeria, you don't need to be humbled with how much was paid for him to be released. These are even people with names, funds and if you like to demean it, with clout. As an elected represented, are.you even a Boys brigade to talk more of being a General in the Army, so who are you, to think you are safe than the people that voted you?

There must be resetting of piority to follow what the Governor did in good faith by dedicating total attention to Security, any *representatives* not falling in line in this aspect should be highly suspected as that, that is not complementing the goodwill of the Governor for the good people of the state, such will simply mean saying one thing and doing another entirely. _Note also that, as representatives of the people, God Almighty will ask of their BLOOD from you, for failing to do the needful within your reach_ 

The Bible will have to loan me these, that,

1. It's only he or she that God protects that is safe, a trip to the book of Psalm Chapter 22 Vs. 3, will affirm this, even to the devil: " _The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it."_ 

2. Psalm 127 1 " _Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain"_

If there is no need for security, no mention of *WATCHMEN STAND GUARD* would be made!

...But you all, can withdraw from using security anymore, even when traveling anywhere in NIGERIA to debase or underscore this *Clarion Call*

VOTERS, wake Up!!!