OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY, ALHAJI AHMED USMAN ODODO, EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KOGI STATE
FROM: BUNU DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE GOOD PEOPLE OF BUNU LAND
Your Excellency,
With deep appreciation and profound gratitude, we, the Bunu Development Association and the good people of Bunu land, write to commend and thank you for your unwavering commitment to the development and security of Kogi State. Your administration has continued to demonstrate remarkable dedication to infrastructural growth and the protection of lives and property across the state, particularly in Bunu land.
The Bunu Development Association, as the mouthpiece of the Bunu people, remains committed to advocating for the welfare, security, and development of our communities. We serve as a bridge between the government and our people, ensuring that the needs and aspirations of Bunu land are effectively communicated and addressed.
Kabba/Bunu has the second biggest land mass in Kogi State, covering 2,706 km² (1,045 square miles), with a substantial portion of this land in Bunu land. This vast landmass has made Bunu land an agricultural hub within the local government and the state, contributing significantly to food production and economic activities. However, the recent wave of bandit attacks has driven sedentary farmers off their lands, posing a severe threat to food security and livelihoods. Even more worrisome is the increasing frequency of attacks on our rural communities, endangering the lives of innocent citizens and creating fear among the populace.
Your Excellency, it will interest you to know that scores of our people, including children and women, have been kidnapped and killed in recent times. To mention but a few, we recall with deep sorrow the murder of Sunday Aiyedero and one other in Odo-Ape, as well as the kidnapping of several others in Odo-Ape, Osomule, Olle, Ighun, Offere, and several other communities. These tragic incidents have left our people in a state of fear and uncertainty, making it imperative for urgent and sustained security interventions.
Your Excellency, the people of Bunu land are greatly encouraged by your swift and decisive response to the security concerns that have plagued our communities. Your recent pronouncements regarding the establishment of security structures in strategic locations within Bunu land have not only reassured our people but have also demonstrated your deep concern for the well-being of every citizen. Specifically, we wish to express our profound gratitude for the following initiatives as we believe and eagerly await their commencement in the shortest possible time:
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1. The Establishment of a Forward Operations Base at Offere Community: This initiative will enhance security presence in the area, providing rapid response to security threats and ensuring the safety of our people.
2. The Establishment of a Police Divisional Office at Iluke: This crucial development will strengthen law enforcement capabilities and improve policing in our communities.
3. The Establishment of an NSCDC Outpost at Odo-Ape: This will further fortify security measures, ensuring that civil defense operatives can effectively respond to security challenges in our region.
4. Establishment of the First-Line Defense Architecture: Hunters and vigilante groups will help to complement formal security agencies in safeguarding our communities.
These strategic measures are testaments to your government’s commitment to ensuring peace, security, and sustainable development in Kogi State. Your leadership continues to inspire confidence and hope among the people of Bunu land, and we pledge our unwavering support for your administration’s efforts to build a safer and more prosperous state.
In light of these positive developments, we kindly recommend the following additional measures to further enhance security and development in our communities:
1. Provision of legal and physical support for the first-line defense hunters/hunters: This will empower them to carry out their security roles more effectively.
2. Monthly remunerations for the first-line defense youth/hunters: This will serve as motivation and encouragement for their selfless service in safeguarding our communities.
3. Regular security meetings between security agencies and traditional rulers: This will enhance intelligence gathering, cooperation, and a coordinated approach to tackling security challenges.
4. Provision of communication networks in areas yet to be covered by different communication network providers: This will improve communication and emergency response in security-prone areas.
5. The construction of the Edumo-Olle-Iluke road: This will enhance quick access to Bunu communities, facilitating economic growth and improving security response time.
6. Posting of armed agro-forest rangers to the NSCDC divisions already established at Iluke and Odo-Ape: This will help protect the forests and farmlands from criminal elements, ensuring that farmers can safely return to their agricultural activities.
7. Formation of security outfits in other Bunu communities: This will extend security coverage across all vulnerable areas, ensuring that no community is left unprotected.
As you continue to implement your progressive policies and initiatives, we pray for divine wisdom, strength, and guidance in leading Kogi State to greater heights. Once again, we sincerely appreciate your administration’s proactive approach and tangible efforts in addressing our needs.
Long live Kogi State! Long live Bunu Land! Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Signed:
Pastor Johnson Folorunsho Kolawole JP FCTI
BDA President
