Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has issued a firm directive for the shutdown of all illegal trailer parks across the state, warning that truck drivers currently operating in such locations have just one month to relocate.
Speaking in Lokoja during the official flag-off of the Access-to-Care Coverage programme, the governor stressed that unregulated trailer parks would no longer be tolerated, adding that security and public safety remain at the heart of his administration’s agenda.
Governor Ododo expressed particular concern over the trailer parks at Zariagi and Osara, which, according to security intelligence, have gradually turned into hideouts for criminal elements.
He revealed that criminals masquerading as truck drivers had been using these areas as cover to undermine the state’s security architecture.
The governor maintained that the activities at such illegal parks threaten not only the wellbeing of law-abiding citizens but also jeopardize the ongoing efforts of the state’s counter-intelligence operations.
He emphasized that protecting residents from criminal infiltration was non-negotiable.
Ododo reassured legitimate businesses and transport operators that his government was open to supporting regulated and recognized trailer parks that adhere to the law.
He called on stakeholders in the transport sector to collaborate with security agencies to ensure compliance with the new directive.
With the one-month ultimatum now in effect, security agencies have been directed to monitor compliance closely and clamp down on any illegal operation that fails to shut down after the grace period.
The move, according to Ododo, is a decisive step towards safeguarding lives, property, and the peace of Kogi State.