Ex-lawmaker Heads Task Force on Illegal Firearms in Kogi

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has approved the appointment of Mr. Friday Sanni as the director-general of the Special Task Force on Illegal Smuggling of Firearms to Kogi State.

This was contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Lokoja yesterday.

The statement noted that the appointment was conveyed via a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade, dated May 8, 2023.

The statement said: “The decision of the state government to set up the Special Task Force is part of the recalibration efforts in the security architecture of the state to ensure that firearms are not illegally smuggled into the state to perpetrate the nefarious activities of criminal elements as the government is committed to ensuring criminality is reduced to near-zero level in the state.

“We recognise increase in proliferation of arms in the state, and we cannot afford a situation where firearms are in the hands of people who are neither licenced nor trained to handle them.” 

“The taskforce will also afford those already in possession of firearms illegally to submit them voluntarily.

“Elder Friday Sanni was a former member of the Kogi State House of Assembly with vast knowledge in security studies.”