The Kogi State Government has reaffirmed its stance against negotiating with criminals, insisting it has both the will and capacity to confront criminal networks.
The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo made the declaration during an appearance on Channels TV on Tuesday.
“The state government is maintaining its zero-tolerance stance on negotiating with criminal elements. We will never bow to bandits under any circumstances,” Fanwo said.
He stressed that Governor Usman Ododo has made it clear that his administration will not engage in discussions or ransom deals with kidnappers.
“In Kogi State, we don’t negotiate. The governor said he would not bow. We have the capacity to bring them out; we have the capacity to deal with these criminals, so we will not negotiate with any one of them,” he added.
Fanwo acknowledged a recent security incident in which kidnappers clashed with military operatives, resulting in the death of two civilians. He expressed regret over the loss but said the strong security response sent a clear message to the assailants.
“We regret the fact that during the fire exchange between the kidnappers and the military security forces, we lost two people. But even the criminals knew that Kogi is a no-go area for them,” he said.
The commissioner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining aggressive security operations, adding that the state will continue to deploy its comprehensive security architecture to neutralise threats and protect residents.
