Kogi State Cracks Down on Bandits: Okada Ban, Night Travel Prohibition, and Market Closures Take Effect.

Authorities move to cut off supply routes after deadly school attack leaves three dead

The Kogi State Government isn't playing games anymore. Following a devastating terrorist attack on a secondary school in Iluke Bunu that claimed three lives including a vice principal and a six year old child officials have rolled out a series of tough security measures aimed at strangling criminal networks operating in the region.

The new rules, announced on Saturday, target everything from commercial motorcycles to fuel sales and night travel. And the government is making one thing crystal clear: help the bandits, and you'll be treated like one of them.

Okada Riders, Take Note

If you're a commercial motorcycle operator in Bunu District, you'll need to park your bike at least for now. The government has banned okada operations across multiple corridors, including routes stretching from Idoyi Bunu through Illah, Iluke, and Kiri, as well as several other hinterland roads.

Why target motorcycles? According to security intelligence, bandits hiding in forested areas have been relying on bike riders to ferry food, water, drugs, and other supplies. Some riders, authorities allege, have also been scouting communities ahead of attacks.

The Motorcycle Operators Association of Nigeria has been directed to immediately inform all members about the ban. Anyone caught violating it will face prosecution under the state's Anti-Terrorism Law.

Markets Shut, Fuel Sales Restricted.

It's not just bikes. All markets along the affected corridors have been ordered closed until further notice. Mobile medicine vendors and drug distributors have also been told to suspend transporting or selling medications on motorcycles within these communities.

In Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, you can no longer buy petrol or diesel in jerrycans. Officials say this will prevent fuel from reaching bandits operating out of remote forest camps.

No More Night Travel Across the State

Here's one that affects everyone in Kogi: a statewide ban on night travel along all state owned roads. Starting immediately, movement must stop by 7:00 p.m. daily.

"Any person found travelling on a state-owned road after 7:00 p.m. shall be arrested and prosecuted," the statement warned.

These measures didn't come out of nowhere. On Wednesday, suspected bandits riding about 40 motorcycles attacked Government Secondary School in Iluke Bunu. The assault, which happened around 10 a.m., left three people dead and sent shockwaves through the community. The police say the attackers appeared to be targeting students and residents for kidnapping.

Security forces have since engaged the criminals, with several bandits neutralized and others injured reportedly trapped in forested areas across the district.

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed all security agencies to enforce the new rules strictly. And for anyone thinking about aiding the criminals, the message is blunt: you will be treated as an accomplice to terrorism and prosecuted accordingly.

The government acknowledged the measures will cause inconvenience but insisted that protecting lives comes first.