Kogi LG boss imposes curfew over renewed banditry

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on citizens who have paid ransom to kidnappers or bandits to take legal action against the government and demand a refund. 
 
Citing the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as the Nigerian Constitution, the legal icon maintained that the government bears the responsibility for safeguarding the lives of its citizens. 
 
Speaking at the opening of the Legal Year of the Faculty of Law, University of Abuja, Falana alleged that while the Federal Government takes swift action when high-profile individuals are abducted, it looks the other way when it involves ordinary Nigerians. 
 
He argued that the state’s failure to curb the rising wave of kidnappings amounts to a breach of its constitutional obligations, stressing that citizens should not be left to negotiate for their own safety. 
 
According to him, demanding a refund through legal channels would not only assert the rights of victims but also compel the government to take its security duties more seriously.

RELATEDLY, the Chairman of Yagba West Local Council in Kogi State, Tosin Olokun, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew across the council following renewed bandit attacks.
 
The decision, according to the administration, is part of efforts to neutralise bandits terrorising the area. The directive was contained in a statement signed and issued at the weekend by Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Adeyemi Babarinde Sunday, in Lokoja.
 
According to the statement, the curfew takes effect immediately and applies to all communities in Yagba West, operating from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily.
 
The chairman stated that the decision was based on recent intelligence reports and ongoing security operations aimed at flushing out criminal elements operating in border communities and forest areas.
 
He stressed that the measure became necessary to restrict the movement of people during vulnerable hours, enabling security agencies to carry out coordinated patrols, surveillance, and clampdowns without obstruction.
 
“The safety of our people remains our top priority. This curfew is a proactive step to strengthen ongoing operations and prevent criminal infiltration across our communities,” the chairman said.
 
He urged residents to comply fully with the directive, warning that anyone found violating the curfew or aiding criminal networks would face serious legal consequences.