KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASE
CISLAC’S POLITICALLY TIMED ALLEGATIONS CANNOT DERAIL KOGI’S SECURITY PROGRESS
1. The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to a publication by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) alleging the diversion of funds from the Kogi State Security Operations Account. Ordinarily, we would not have responded to such a publication. However, in the interest of the public and in deference to our responsibility to uphold the truth, it has become necessary to set the record straight.
2. We find it curious that an organisation that prides itself as a watchdog of accountability would abandon the basic principles of fairness, diligence and objectivity by arriving at sweeping conclusions without presenting any evidence of wrongdoing, any report of investigation, or any finding by any competent authority.
3. The truth is that security is not sustained by rhetoric. Security is expensive. It requires continuous investments in intelligence gathering, logistics, communications infrastructure, operational mobility, surveillance, community engagement and strategic support for security agencies. Every responsible government that takes seriously its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property understands this reality.
4. What CISLAC deliberately failed to tell Nigerians is that Kogi State has, over the years, invested heavily in strengthening its security architecture. Those investments have enhanced intelligence gathering, improved operational response, strengthened collaboration among security agencies and contributed significantly to making Kogi one of the safest states in the country despite its strategic location as the gateway connecting the North and the South.
5. The publication attempts to create the false impression that payments made from a security operations account to companies, contractors or service providers are inherently suspicious. Nothing can be further from the truth. Security operations require the engagement of logistics providers, equipment suppliers, maintenance contractors, transport operators, consultants and other service providers whose support is essential to the execution of security interventions.
6. It is therefore irresponsible to equate the existence of financial transactions with evidence of diversion. Such a conclusion can only be reached through investigation, verification and due process, not through speculation, assumptions and sensational headlines.
7. Interestingly, the same publication admits that the allegations remain unproven and that no anti-corruption agency has established any wrongdoing against the Kogi State Government. Having acknowledged this fact, CISLAC still proceeded to present allegations as though they were established truths. This contradiction exposes the weakness of its entire narrative.
8. It is not lost on discerning Nigerians that the publication comes at a period when political activities are beginning to gather momentum. Experience has shown that such periods often witness desperate attempts by vested interests to weaponize misinformation, half-truths and manufactured controversies against governments and public officials who refuse to compromise established processes for personal or political advantage.
9. The Ododo Administration will not speculate on the sponsors or motives behind this latest publication. However, we remain aware that some individuals are uncomfortable with a system that places transparency, fairness and due process above narrow personal interests. Rather than accept outcomes produced by democratic institutions and credible processes, such individuals often seek alternative platforms through which to advance narratives designed to distract from the remarkable progress being recorded by government.
10. Under the leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, Kogi State has continued to witness significant improvements in security, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education and investment promotion. The administration has remained steadfast in ensuring that public resources are deployed to improve the lives of citizens and strengthen public institutions.
11. The people of Kogi State are the ultimate witnesses to the effectiveness of government investments in security. They can see the enhanced operational capacity of security agencies. They can see the increased confidence of investors and businesses operating in the state. They can see communities becoming safer and economic activities expanding across different parts of the state. These realities cannot be erased by politically timed allegations.
12. The Kogi State Government welcomes transparency, accountability and lawful scrutiny of public institutions. We have absolutely nothing to hide. Any individual or organisation with credible evidence of wrongdoing should submit such evidence to the appropriate law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies for investigation and necessary action.
13. We wish to reaffirm that the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo remains committed to the prudent management of public resources, the strengthening of our security architecture and the protection of lives and property across the state. No amount of misinformation, speculation or politically motivated distractions will deter us from these responsibilities.
14. Kogi State will continue to invest in security, support security agencies and deepen partnerships that guarantee peace, stability and sustainable development. Our focus remains service to the people, and our commitment remains unwavering.
Signed
Kingsley Femi Fanwo
Commissioner for Information and Communications
Kogi State
10th June, 2026
