Governor Bello destroys Boko Haram stronghold in Kogi state (Photos)

Governor Yahaya Bello has taken a very bold step towards the ousting of Boko Haram in Kogi state, by demolishing buildings which were headquarters of the sect.

The Kogi state government has destroyed two buildings which were used as the Kogi Operational Headquarters of Boko Haram terrorists group.

The Senior Special Assistant on new media to the governor of Kogi state Petra Akinti Onyegbule said that the Ahlul-Sunnah Mosque in Inike, Okene LGA which was taken over by members of the Boko Haram terrorist group, was destroyed, after the Nigerian Army got Intel that members of BH used the mosque as operational base.

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Adding that in 2015 it was a battle between the sect and the army, on the grounds of the mosque. "You can see signs of the gun duel on the building," Petra stressed

It still stood after the duel, it was used for producing IEDs. Some of the fundamentalists still gathered at the mosque clandestinely in the name of Islam to plan and hatch evil.

Governor Bello, who was accompanied by the State Police Commissioner, Mr Wilson Inalegwu and heads of other security agencies, particularly demolished buildings used by suspected kidnappers, Boko Haram terrorists and armed robbers in Okene in the Central Senatorial District of the state.

The two buildings brought down on Tuesday, March 14, belonged to a suspected kidnap kingpin popularly known as Alhaji Tijani Bakare in Oyunkoko Ward in Okene while the second building levelled to the ground by the machines was the notorious Ahlul-Sunnah Mosque in Inike, Okene LGA which was reportedly hijacked in 2015 by members of the Boko Haram terrorist group and has been serving as an operational base for their nefarious activities.

The Governor said he had no sympathy for anyone engaging in heinous acts, as he would implement to the letter the law against anti-kidnapping, robbery and terrorism.

He said however is found culpable by the law would be made to face the full weight of the law without fear or favour. “For those who are in the habit of harbouring criminals in their houses, we will fish them out and mete out serious punishment to them as if they are criminals themselves,” the governor warned.

The governor warned that more property of criminals would be demolished as they are identified by the security agencies to serve as a deterrent to potential criminals and hoodlums.

Kogi state police commissioner, Wilson Inalegwu, said it would no longer be business as usual for criminal elements operating in any part of the state, saying the action was to send a strong message to kidnappers and hoodlums that they must change their ways.

Inalegwu said: “They should work hard and earn a decent living. We want to make Kogi safe so that those living here or travelling through Kogi will not have fear of being kidnapped.”