Why kidnapping stopped in Kogi - Bello

The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has revealed the strategy he implemented to hault the rise of kidnapping in the state.

Speaking during the Senate Press Coprs' Retreat 2020, with the theme, “Democracy and Development in a Federation: Roles of Media, States and Parliaments” held in Lokoja, the state capital, Yahaya said that their success story has been due to the fact that the state stopped negotiating with the perpetrators.

He added that the spate of kidnapping in the state has significantly reduced due to this strategy.

Bello, represented by his Deputy, David Onoja, said, “Our highways were littered with virtually weekly occurrences of armed robbery, especially night travelers in luxurious buses.

“Four years, nine months later, though we have not been able to eradicate kidnappings totally, the numbers have drastically reduced to the barest minimum. And highway robberies and bank robberies are becoming things that are in our history books.”

Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Senator Ajibola Basiru, stressed the importance of synergy between the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly, The Nations said.

Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC-Kogi) urged the participants to be guided by social and professional responsibility when relating with politicians.