Kogi Governor Orders Demolition of Sambel Facility in Okene Over Criminal Takeover
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has directed the immediate demolition of the Sambel Facility in Idoji, Okene Local Government Area, after credible intelligence revealed that criminal elements had seized the site and converted it into a major hideout for nefarious activities.
The decisive order, announced Thursday morning by the state government, underscores the Ododo administration’s zero-tolerance stance on banditry and insecurity plaguing parts of Kogi’s Central Senatorial District
Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, supported by personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and local vigilantes, were already mobilizing at the site by midday.
Eyewitnesses reported heavy vehicular movement, with bulldozers and excavators being positioned for the demolition exercise, expected to commence within 24 hours pending full evacuation of any remaining threats.
This action comes amid heightened security concerns in Okene, which has witnessed sporadic incidents of kidnapping and armed robbery in the past year.
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Governor Ododo, who assumed office in January 2024 amid promises to tackle insecurity head-on, has ramped up kinetic operations, including joint task forces and community policing initiatives. Just last month, similar intelligence-led raids in Adavi and Okehi LGAs led to the arrest of over 20 suspects and recovery of weapons.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about the facility’s original purpose and potential economic loss. The Sambel project, initiated under previous administrations as part of efforts to boost agro-industrial development in Kogi, aimed to support small-scale enterprises in grain milling and storage.
“Demolition is necessary for security, but we must rebuild something better,” said Comrade Musa Ibrahim, a youth leader from Idoji.
“Idoji needs jobs, not just ruins.”The Kogi State Commissioner for Environment, Mohammed AbdulRahman, assured that post-demolition assessments would pave the way for a secure redevelopment plan, possibly repurposing the land for community farming or a vigilante outpost.
As heavy machinery rumbled into position, residents of Idoji expressed cautious optimism. “We’re tired of living in fear,” one trader, Mama Aisha, told our correspondent. “If this ends the hideouts, Governor Ododo has our prayers.”
Credit: Global Times Nigeria
