KIDNAPPING OCCURS DAILY IN KOGI, BANDITS TOOK 28 RESIDENTS ON MONDAY — SUNDAY KARIMI.(PHOTO).

 Senator Sunday Karimi has raised concerns over the growing incidence of kidnapping and banditry in Kogi State, describing abductions as a daily occurrence in the state.

Karimi made the remarks on Wednesday during plenary while contributing to a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari on the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Ogbomoso.

The lawmaker said kidnapping and banditry have become major security challenges threatening the stability of the country, stressing that responsibility for addressing the menace should not rest solely on the Federal Government.

According to him, bandits invaded Ayedun Bunu, a community in Kogi West Senatorial District, in the early hours of Monday and abducted 28 residents.

He noted that such incidents have become frequent in Kogi State, adding that communities continue to face security threats from criminal elements.

Karimi called on lawmakers to accelerate legislative action on proposals for the establishment of state police and forest guards, arguing that both initiatives could strengthen efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.

The senator also urged state governments to play a more active role in funding and equipping security agencies, citing increased allocations to states as an opportunity to support security operations.

He further lamented what he described as the inability of local government administrations to function effectively, saying the situation has contributed to the emergence of ungoverned spaces that criminals exploit.

Karimi advocated the deployment of surveillance drones by state governments to improve intelligence gathering and security monitoring, suggesting that states could also invest in more advanced drone technology to support security operations.

He maintained that a collaborative approach involving the federal, state and local governments is necessary to effectively combat kidnapping, banditry and other security challenges facing the nation.