Senator Dino Melaye recently said that the solution to unity and insecurity is the production of a governor, and claimed that while there is insecurity in Okun land and Igala land, nothing is happening in Kogi Central. That statement reduces a serious security crisis to election politics. It also ignores the real work being done on the ground and the collective responsibility required to address the problem.
The truth about insecurity in our communities today is uncomfortable, but it must be said. In recent arrests, security operatives have uncovered a painful pattern. Some kidnappers confessed that indigenes led them to target homes. Some indigenes serve as informants, giving details that help assailants carry out their nefarious acts. Strangers alone cannot succeed in these operations without local assistance.
This is why security cannot be left to government alone. It is a collective responsibility. Communities have a major role to play. Traditional rulers must be careful about the strangers they allocate land to. Youth groups must be vigilant. Families must speak up when they see suspicious movement. Where communities take ownership, results follow. Isanlu, for instance, has put structures in place to keep its people safe. Other towns can study that model and adapt it.
It is also important to ask honest questions about leadership and contribution. Where was Senator Melaye when Hon. Leke Abejide was working to support security efforts in Yagba Federal Constituency through empowerment, community engagement, and collaboration with security agencies? Even in Ayetoro, Senator Melaye’s hometown, what concrete interventions has he made toward curbing insecurity in that area?
Now that it is election season, it is easy to make sweeping statements. But the people deserve more than commentary. If we claim to have a voice, let that voice be heard not only in criticizing government, but in reporting the contributions we have made to secure our immediate communities.
Government must also double its efforts. Security agencies need improved and more sophisticated equipment, intelligence support, and improved morale to deliver effectively. But government action must be matched by community action.
Let us speak with one voice as Okun people and as Kogites. Blame-shifting will not stop kidnappers. Politics will not stop informants. What will work is unity, vigilance, and every stakeholder playing their part. That is the real solution to insecurity.
CHIEF RICHARD ASAJE,
Founder/Nat’l Coordinator, Like Minds Alliance Pressure Group
4th Sept. 2026
