- The Nigerian Army has received a new forward operational base in Kogi State, aimed at combating kidnapping and banditry in the region
- Senator Sunday Karimi financed the base’s construction, emphasizing its role in enhancing military response to criminal activities along the Kogi-Kwara border
The Nigerian Army has taken possession of a newly constructed forward operational base (FOB) in Egbe, Kogi State, as part of efforts to combat kidnapping, banditry, and other criminal activities in the border area between Kogi and Kwara States.
Senator Sunday Karimi, who represents Kogi West, fully financed and built the facility, which was officially handed over to the Army on Saturday. Representatives of the Kogi State Governor and other dignitaries attended the event.
Speaking on behalf of Lt Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Obinna Onubogu, Ground Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, praised the initiative.
He noted that the base would significantly enhance security operations in the region, particularly in response to recent incidents like the rescue of kidnapped students from the Complex University of Technology, Kogi State, who were recovered from the forest around Egbe.
General Onubogu emphasized that the new FOB would aid the military in countering bandits, gunrunners, and other criminal elements operating in the forests and rivers straddling the Kogi and Kwara border. He assured the community that the facility would be used effectively to improve security in Egbe and the surrounding areas.
In his remarks, Senator Sunday Karimi explained that the decision to construct the base was driven by a desire to support the Nigerian Military and security agencies in their efforts to respond more swiftly to criminal activities in the region.
He pointed out that the increasing criminal activities in the expansive forests along the Kogi-Kwara border had become a national concern. The presence of a military base, he added, would act as a deterrent to criminals and help restore peace and security in these communities.
The newly completed base includes two hostels with 85-bed spaces for officers and soldiers, fully furnished with beds and amenities, an armoury building, furnished office apartments for the base commander, a three-bedroom official residence, an officers’ mess, and a watchtower equipped with surveillance and CCTV cameras for intelligence gathering.
Senator Karimi expressed hope that the facility would be used effectively to combat insecurity in the region and protect the lives of citizens in the border areas of Kogi and Kwara States.