KOGI POLICE STEP UP FOREST CLEARANCE TO DISLODGE CRIMINALS

The Kogi State Police Command has stepped up security operations in forest corridors across the Kabba/Bunu, Obajana and Lokoja axis as part of efforts to prevent criminals from using remote locations as hideouts.

The latest operation was conducted at about 7am on August 20, 2026, following a directive by the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Kankarofi.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the command’s spokesperson, ASP Salisu Afusat, said the exercise was designed to sustain pressure on criminal elements and restrict their access to forest routes and suspected hideouts.

The operation was carried out jointly by the police, military personnel, local vigilantes and other auxiliary security groups.

Afusat said the team combed the Daji 2 Forest Zone, a strategic corridor connecting Kabba/Bunu, Obajana and Lokoja, as security agencies intensified their presence in the area.

During the operation, the team discovered and cleared an abandoned settlement suspected to have previously served as a hideout and operational base for criminals.

The security personnel also moved to Amos Camp, another abandoned location situated in rugged terrain characterised by creeks and mountainous areas.

Despite the difficult conditions, the team successfully cleared the camp and surrounding forest routes.

The command said indications of recent movement were found on routes leading towards the Oyo Forest axis of Obajana, suggesting that criminal elements had fled the area before the arrival of the security forces.

According to the police, the sustained operations have improved the confidence of residents and farmers in the affected communities, with some farmers already returning to their farmlands and resuming their activities.

Afusat said the Kabba Area Command, alongside other security formations operating in the area, would continue patrols, intelligence gathering and forest clearance exercises in other identified locations.

The Commissioner of Police commended the participating personnel and community-based security groups for their courage, cooperation and resilience, particularly in dealing with the challenging terrain.

Kankarofi assured residents, especially farmers, that the command would maintain the pressure on criminal elements and strengthen security across the state to create a safer environment for farming and other legitimate economic activities.