From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

The Kogi State Police Command has intensified joint bush clearance operations in identified forest areas to deny criminal elements access to suspected hideouts and forest corridors across the state. The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, said the operations were part of efforts to maintain pressure on suspected criminal elements operating in remote areas and improve security for residents and farmers.

According to a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, a joint operation was conducted on Thursday, August 20, across forest locations linking Kabba/Bunu, Obajana and Lokoja. The operation involved personnel from the police, military, local vigilante groups and other security auxiliaries.

The team searched the Daji 2 Forest Zone and cleared an abandoned settlement reportedly suspected of having been used as a hideout or staging point for criminal activities. The security personnel also conducted a clearance operation at Amos Camp, another abandoned location in difficult terrain involving creeks and mountainous areas.

The command said signs of recent movement were observed along routes leading towards the Oyo Forest axis of Obajana, suggesting that occupants had left the area before the security team arrived. The police said the operations had boosted confidence among residents and farmers, with some returning to their farmlands and daily activities.

Kankarofi commended participating personnel and collaborating security and community groups for their resilience and teamwork. He assured residents that patrols, intelligence gathering and bush clearance operations would continue across identified areas to improve security and protect legitimate economic activities.

From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has urged the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to increase investment in research and innovation that can provide practical solutions to Nigeria’s developmental challenges.

Ododo made the call on Thursday at the 2026 TETFund North Central Stakeholders’ Town Hall Meeting held at the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja.The meeting was themed “The Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and Its Impact on Tertiary Institutions in North Central Nigeria.”

The governor described education as a foundation for national development and urged TETFund to prioritise research in agriculture, mining, healthcare, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and security. He said tertiary institutions should move beyond theoretical research and develop solutions capable of supporting food security, industrial growth, job creation and sustainable development.

Ododo commended TETFund for its interventions in infrastructure, research, staff development and institutional capacity building, assuring that Kogi State would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving teaching, research and innovation. He also commended Dr Abdulrahman Hassan Ocholi, the TETFund Board of Trustees member representing the North Central Zone, for organising the stakeholders’ meeting shortly after his appointment.

Ocholi said the meeting was designed to promote dialogue, accountability and collaboration among TETFund, beneficiary institutions, governments, students and host communities.The stakeholders endorsed President Tinubu for a second term and Governor Ododo for another term, while also supporting APC governorship candidates across the North Central Zone. They appointed Ododo as patron of the group, resolved to begin grassroots mobilisation and called for increased funding for TETFund.

By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has launched the “One to Tell Ten” initiative to encourage young people to reject crime and promote peace, responsible citizenship and safer communities.The initiative, launched in Uyo during activities marking International Youth Day 2026, brought together more than 2,000 youth leaders across the state.

Commissioner of Police Baba Azare said the programme was designed to multiply positive security messages, with each participating youth encouraged to share the message with at least 10 others. He urged youths to reject political thuggery, cultism, drug abuse, cybercrime, electoral violence, vandalism and other criminal activities while supporting intelligence gathering, early warning and community-based crime prevention.

Azare also urged young people to embrace the campaign, “My Future Is Greater Than Political Thuggery,” stressing that political interests should not jeopardise their lives or future. The commissioner described youths as important partners in modern policing and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to strengthening police-youth relations, community policing and intelligence-led policing. He warned that anyone involved in violence, kidnapping, armed robbery, cybercrime, vandalism or other offences would face legal action regardless of status or affiliation.

On digital responsibility, Azare urged youths to “Think Before You Click, Verify Before You Share,” warning against misinformation, cyberbullying, defamatory content, manipulated media and the irresponsible use of artificial intelligence. He encouraged young Nigerians to choose dialogue over violence, innovation over criminality and patriotism over division.