The executive governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has called for NAF formation to improve social-military activities and security in the state. This was made known during his courtesy visit to the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshall Oladayo Amao at the NAF HQ Abuja.
This is facilitated intelligence gathering against criminal elements who have established a haven in some parts of the State. Governor Yahaya Bello also disclosed that the State had approached the NAF in 2017 to consider establishing a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at a colonial-era airstrip in Zariagi near Lokoja, to which the NAF in 2018 dispatched a reconnaissance team to survey the suitability status of the location for consideration.
Yahaya Bello with the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Amao
The Governor also stated that the need to revisit the matter became necessary given the activities of bandits and other criminal elements who have relocated to the State after military operations in September 2020 at Utu Forest situated between Nasarawa and Kogi State forced them out of their comfort zone.
In response, the CAS assured the Governor that the mandate by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Nation must be rid of all criminal elements remains on course and in no distant time, the security situation in Kogi State and environs would take a positive turn. On the request for the establishment of a FOB, Air Marshal Amao assured the Governor that a team will be constituted to review the report submitted in 2018 to reactivate the plan for the establishment of the FOB.
