- Security Alert: Presidency Urges Suspension of ‘Ori Oke’ Prayers in Kwara, Kogi Forests
- Stresses the need for communities to prioritise safety
- Call on residents to cooperate with security agencies
The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Community Engagement for the North Central has urged religious groups and residents in Kwara and Kogi states to temporarily suspend “Ori Oke” prayer meetings held in forests and mountainous areas due to rising security concerns.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the office said intelligence and security observations have shown that such secluded locations are increasingly being exploited by bandits and criminal elements as hideouts, posing risks to worshippers and other participants.
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In a statement issued by the SSA on Community Engagement, North Central, Abiodun Essiet, the Presidency appealed for caution, stressing the need for communities to prioritise safety while ongoing security operations continue in affected areas.
“The Office of the SSA to the President on Community Engagement, North Central, has appealed to residents and religious groups in Kwara and Kogi states to temporarily suspend Ori Oke prayer gatherings until the security situation in the affected areas stabilises,” the statement read.
The office further noted that while citizens have the constitutional right to worship freely, security realities make certain locations unsafe for large or isolated gatherings at this time.
It emphasised that worship can be conducted in safer environments, adding that forests and mountainous regions have become active routes and hideouts for criminal groups.
The statement also called on residents to cooperate with security agencies, which it said are intensifying efforts to restore peace, protect lives, and secure communities across the North Central region.
“The public is encouraged to support security operations and remain vigilant, as collective cooperation remains key to addressing emerging threats,” it added.
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