Gov. Ododo: A Proactive Bulwark Against Insecurity — A National Template for Rapid, Community-Centred Response
By Hon. Oluwakayode David Eseyin — PDP Aspirant for National Youth Leader
Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Rising criminal networks, banditry, kidnappings and illicit economic activities have forced state and federal authorities to rethink old playbooks. In this fraught environment, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has emerged as an example of decisive, layered and — critically — preventive governance. His administration’s moves over the past 18 months combine rapid operational capacity, community integration, federal coordination, and regulatory action against the economic enablers of crime. What Kogi is doing under Governor Ododo deserves serious study by other states and the centre as we renew the national fight against insecurity.
Rapid response — creating the tools to act before catastrophe
- Advertisement -
One of the most concrete steps by the Ododo administration was the establishment and operationalisation of a Quick Response Unit (QRU) and Metropolitan Quick Response squads. These units are not mere photo-ops: they are purpose-built to shrink the response time between an incident and state action, to save lives and deny criminals the luxury of safe havens. By prioritising mobility, intelligence-driven patrols and coordination with existing security agencies, the QRU signals a shift from purely reactive policing to proactive deterrence.
Federal-state synergy — convening national security leadership
Ododo has also recognised that state responses must be matched by seamless coordination with national security institutions. His recent strategic security summit in Lokoja — which brought the Chief of Defence Staff, the Army leadership, the Inspector-General of Police and the DSS director into candid operational dialogue with the state government — is precisely the kind of federal-state partnership we need more of. This alignment enables joint intelligence sharing, synchronised operations and the pooling of specialised assets where threats cross administrative borders.
Re-engineering grassroots security — professionalising vigilance
Criminal groups thrive where local vigilance is fragmented or hostile to formal institutions. Recognising this, the Ododo administration has taken the uncommon step of integrating and professionalising grassroots security actors: vigilantes and community-based patrols have been absorbed into a more accountable structure, retrained, equipped and in some cases regularised as civil service personnel. This creates a twofold benefit: it strengthens intelligence at the community level and reduces the risk that irregular forces become rogue actors themselves.
Confronting root enablers — regulating mining and closing economic loopholes
Ododo’s security blueprint goes beyond guns and patrols. It identifies economic and geographic enablers of crime — notably illegal and unmonitored mining corridors — and moves to regulate and profile mining activities. By disrupting the flows of revenue and shelter that sustain armed networks, this approach aims to weaken criminal sustainability, not merely chase its symptoms. Robust land monitoring, stricter oversight of mine sites and new consequences for those who harbour or fund criminals are all part of this systems approach.
Tactical firmness with caution — measures that send a message
The governor has not shied from blunt measures intended to deter complicity: public warnings against harbouring criminals, threats to demolish properties used as hideouts, and temporary restrictions on late-hour gatherings in vulnerable localities (including recent directives for early shutdowns of public and worship centres in high-risk areas). These measures are calibrated to break criminal patterns of night-time movement and shelter. That said, such tactics must be applied with transparency, due process and safeguards to avoid abuses that could alienate communities — a vital caveat for any government considering the same tools.
Tested in crisis — community resilience in Egbe and other flashpoints
When bandits attempted to strike at Egbe and nearby communities, the response there demonstrated that Ododo’s layered strategy is more than theoretical. Local vigilantes, better coordinated with state security assets and supported by rapid units, successfully repelled attackers in recent incidents — while the governor publicly condemned attacks, pledged intensified operations and called for citizen cooperation. These actions show a feedback loop: when communities are empowered, and when state instruments are ready, attacks lose the element of surprise and permissive terrain.
Why Kogi’s approach matters for the nation
1. Speed + Intelligence: Quick Response Units show that investing in speed and local intelligence can blunt attacks before they escalate.
2. Coordination: High-level meetings with federal chiefs prove that no state can go it alone; shared strategy and resources matter.
3. Community Ownership: Professionalising vigilantes reduces suspicion and increases actionable tips from citizens.
4. Economic Disruption:
Targeting the illicit economies that fund banditry is a longer-term but indispensable step.
A call for replication — what other states and the Federal Government should adopt now
• Deploy QRU-style rapid units attached to intelligence hubs in every vulnerable region.
• Institutionalise federal-state security councils with standing operational protocols, not ad hoc meetings.
• Professionalise and absorb community security outfits with clear oversight, training and remuneration.
• Audit and regulate extractive activities in border forests and mining corridors to choke criminal finances.
• Ensure legal safeguards are built into every enforcement measure (to prevent collective punishment and human rights violations).
Conclusion — proactive leadership with humility and oversight
Governor Ododo’s toolkit is not perfect — no single governor can end a national security crisis alone — but Kogi’s recent measures provide a replicable template: rapid operational capacity, federal partnership, community integration and economic interdiction. If scaled responsibly across states and with federal backing, this layered model can meaningfully reduce the space in which bandits, kidnappers and criminal syndicates operate. Our national conversation must now be about coordination, resources and the rule of law — ensuring that stern measures are matched by accountability and human rights protections.
Nigeria’s youth — the demographic I am privileged to represent in aspiration — have a stake in security, opportunity and dignity. The proactive posture shown in Kogi under Governor Ododo offers grounds for cautious optimism: decisive governance paired with community trust can tilt the balance back in favour of citizens. It is time we copy what works, improve where needed, and commit to securing our collective future.
*Hon. Oluwakayode David Eseyin*
PDP Aspirant for National Youth Leader
