Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has commiserated with the family of the kidnap victim, late Mrs. Olu Abraham, who died in custody of kidnappers along Kabba/Obajana road this week.
In a statement through his Director General on Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, the Governor described the incident as a “draw back on the progress the state has made in ensuring security in the state.”
“The Governor is gravely saddened by the unfortunate death of Mrs Olu Abraham, a staff of Mopamuro Local Government Area, who died in the custody of kidnappers this week.
Reports at our disposal show that the unfortunate incident happened when some staff members were on their way to Obajana to obtain their statements of account for the ongoing Staff Verification exercise which is ongoing in the state to weed out ghost workers.
“Our hearts go to the family of the deceased and the entire people of Mopamuro over this irreparable loss. It is unfortunate that this is happening at a time we are recording steady progress in our avowed war against criminality in the state. We stand with the Olu Abraham family.
“We wish to assure Kogites that we have the capacity to win the war against men of the underworld, who are bent on cutting the lives of our people short. My administration will ensure that those who were responsible for the death of Mrs Abraham are brought to justice. Her death will provoke us to continue to wage a relentless war against criminals and criminality.”
The Governor said the safety of all Kogites is Paramount to his administration, saying his determination to secure lives and property in the state led to the launch of the Operation Total Freedom.
He said his administration will also use technology and jobs to stem the rate of crime in the state.