Our Correspondent,in Kogi state,Olu Samuel examines the efforts of the New Direction administration of Alhaji Yayaha Bello in addressing the security challenges in the state in the last seven years.

Since creation 32 years ago, Kogi state has had it’s fair share of crime and criminality. From armed robbery in early days of its creation to terrorism by the Boko Haram of the early years of the new millennium to the most recent banditry and kidnapping, the state has not been immuned to any of these crimes.
Successive administration which had piloted the affairs of the state at one time or the other since creation has faced series of challenges in tackling these menace.
The first executive governor of the state was Late prince Abubarkar Audu,who many refer to as the father of modern Kogi politics. He ruled from 1992 to 1993 before the republic was truncated by the Abacha regime in 1993.
By the time he was elected again in 1999,crime rates have escalated as the late Prince had to contend with political thuggery and armed robberies which analysts attributed to as the offshoot of military incursions into Nigeria political space. Then came,Alhaji Ibrahim Idris whose two terms tenure witnessed political thurgry of unimaginable proportions!
“The state became a hotbed for various crimes,to the extent that no part of the state,East,West or Central was safe as various crimes were recorded” says a lecturer at the Federal University, Lokoja Anate Ibrahim.
To address this,the then governor adopted cat and stick approach with little success.
The Captain Idris Wada that came after that in 2011 went all out against political thurgry,but unfortunately,the Boko Haram entered the scene and unleashed series of mayhem on the people of the state.
Then came the present New Direction administration under the leadership of Alhaji Yayaha Bello.
Anate Ibrahim said “one thing that can not be taken away from the present regime headed by Alhaji Yayaha Bello is his unprecedented achievement in waging unrelenting war against crimes and criminality in every part of the state so much so that the impact of his effort is being felt in other parts of the country.
At the moment Bello leads the Northern Governors in the battle against insecurity in the region.
This is attributable to his laudable achievements in tackling crimes and criminality in every parts of the state.
Right from the beginning of the administration,the governor realising the importance of security as the number one duty a government should provide for the people hit the ground running, declaring all out war against crimes of all sorts leading to him being declared the best governor on security in Nigeria in 2017 and awarded by the Nigerian Police Force”Anate said.

Bello’s award came after he flushed out criminal elements; the kidnappers and armed robbers that took over most of the communities and highways of Kogi State before his emergence.

Nearly all the sister security agencies, Army, police ,DSS has at one time or the other rated Bello as the best in terms of addressing security challenges.

Bello cultivated friendships with all the security agencies by purchasing over 20 Hilux vans for security operations which he followed with other logistics that assisted them in carrying out the task of ridding the state of criminalities.

This soon yeilded positive results as many criminals were arrested in the Central and Eastern Senatorial districts.

Another step taken was to send a bill to the state Assembly which later passed a law stipulation demolition of any house habouring criminals. Thus the state became too hot for criminals.

Analysts attributed Bello’s successful war against criminalities to his background as a successful business man who realised that no business can thrive without security hence his decision to take the war right onto their door steps.

These and many other steps taken to address the security situation has made Bello a force to recorn with as many state are taking security lessons from him.