Kogi State under siege

The Aredu Forest in Kogi State is a strategic, resource-rich, and now deeply troubled area. Information from the Federal Ministry of Solid Mineral Resources says this forest holds one of the largest gold deposits in Nigeria. Yet, tragically, the wealth of this land has attracted terror. The Aredu Forest has become a major hideout for […]

The Aredu Forest in Kogi State is a strategic, resource-rich, and now deeply troubled area. Information from the Federal Ministry of Solid Mineral Resources says this forest holds one of the largest gold deposits in Nigeria. Yet, tragically, the wealth of this land has attracted terror. The Aredu Forest has become a major hideout for bandits, threatening the peace and lives of host communities.

The influx of bandits into Aredu is a direct consequence of successful security pressure elsewhere. After operations cleared out groups from Zamfara, Birnin Gwari (Kaduna), and Shiroro (Niger State), the criminals simply migrated. They crossed the River Niger and settled in the Aredu Forest, choosing a location rich in gold and poor in security presence.

These are not the activities of small-scale artisanal miners seeking a daily wage. This is organised crime using banditry as a cover. The gangs mine gold and precious stones without the monitoring or supervision of the Ministry of Solid Mineral Resources.

Five years ago, a direct vehicle from Isanlu to Kaduna would have been rare. Today, with the migration, I saw an influx of people traveling by bus in and out of Isanlu to Zamfara just this past August. This traffic is a sign of the deeper criminal network now operating in our region.

The bandits are terrorizing the host communities with impunity, engaging in killing and mass kidnappings for ransom. Although military presence exists at Egbe and Patigi in Kwara State (about 50km from Ilafin), the Oyi River makes the route non-motorable, limiting rapid deployment. Instead, the bandits, using locals returning from Bida on motorbikes via farm routes as human shields, are pushing closer to the gold sites, using the communities as covers by day and launching attacks at will.

The operational scale of these bandits suggests that many of the nation’s wanted criminals are now hiding in the inaccessible depths of the Aredu Forest.

I am using this medium to make an urgent plea to the federal government and the Kogi State Government: Our people are tired of the siege. We are weary of the killings and the kidnappings. Please come and save our land and our people from the terror fueled by the promise of gold

 

Stephen Olorunmonu Idowu can be reached via [email protected]