- Police place Kogi on alert over bandits fleeing nearby military operations.
- Intelligence warns schools, banks and churches may face coordinated attacks soon.
- Security formations ordered to fortify stations and intensify surveillance statewide
Security agencies in Kogi State have been placed on high alert following intelligence reports warning of a possible influx of armed bandits into Kogi East.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that an internal police wireless message obtained by SaharaReporters indicated that the State Intelligence Department in Lokoja intercepted reports of a large movement of gunmen fleeing ongoing military offensives in Kwara and Niger states.
According to the intelligence, the armed groups are now believed to be camping inside dense forest belts around Bassa and the Anyigba and Ochaja axis. The report stated that several of the bandits were sighted wearing military uniforms while carrying AK47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons.
The police memo described the situation as a credible threat requiring an immediate escalation of security surveillance across Kogi East. It also identified multiple locations that may be targeted in coordinated attacks.
According to the police signal, the possible targets include Ochaja Boys and Girls Secondary Schools, Prince Abubakar Audu University in Anyigba, commercial banks across Kogi East, police stations, churches and other worship centres.
The signal reads in full:
“AC INT X INTREP X INFLUX OF BANDITS TO KOGI EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT X INTELLIGENCE AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT’S DISPOSAL REVEALED THAT X LARGE NUMBER OF BANDITS HAVE MIGRATED INTO FORESTS WITHIN BASSA AND ANYIGBA OCHAJA AXES X DUE TO THE ONGOING ONSLAUGHT ON THEM BY SECURITY OPERATIVES IN KWARA NIGER STATES X
“SOURCE DISCLOSED THAT THE HOODLUMS MAIN TARGETS ARE PUBLIC PLACES SUCH AS OCHAJA BOYS GIRLS SECONDARY SCHOOLS X PRINCE ABUBAKAR AUDU UNIVERSITY ANYIGBA X BANKS I POLICE STATIONS AND WORSHIP CENTRES ACROSS KOGI EAST X IT IS FURTHER REVEALED THAT X THE HOODLUMS WHO ARE IN MILITARY UNIFORMS ARE WELL ARMED WITH SOPHISTICATED WEAPONS SUCH AK47 MILITARY RIFLES X
“IN LIGHT OF THE ABOVE X EYE SUGGEST THAT X ACPOL ANYIGBA SUPOLs BASSA X DEKINA X ANYIGBA X AND EGUME BE INTIMATED TO FORTIFY STATIONS X QUR PMF PERSONNEL BE DRAFTED TO THE AREA X STOP AND SEARCH PATROLS BE INTENSIFIED ALONG THE MAJOR ROADS WITHIN THE AREA X MEANWHILE X SURVEILLANCE INTELLIGENCE IS SUSTAINED X ABOVE FOR YOUR INFORMATION PLEASE XXXXXX ACPOLSID LOKOJA”
The memo recommended immediate briefing of all Divisional Police Officers in Anyigba, Bassa, Dekina and Egume, as well as the deployment of additional Quick Response Unit and Police Mobile Force personnel to high risk locations. It also advised intensified stop and search operations, increased highway patrols and stronger surveillance across affected communities.
The message stressed the need to strengthen all police stations within the threatened axis to prevent surprise attacks, adding that intelligence gathering would continue.
