By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has lauded the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM), Nigeria, for prioritising victims of violence and terrorism through its newly unveiled KSM Endowment Fund and Integrated Charity Initiative, pledging his administration’s full collaboration to ensure the success of the humanitarian programme.
Governor Ododo made the pledge on Thursday at the unveiling of the Endowment Fund at the Catholic Secretariat, Durumi, Abuja.
He was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade.
Describing the initiative as “a prophetic act of charity,” the governor said the Order’s decision to place victims of violence at the centre of the fund reflected compassion and hope for families devastated by insecurity.
“The Order has given aid to victims of violence and terrorism the first pillar of this Fund. That priority aligns with the central purpose of our government because behind every kidnapping and every attack is a family whose life has been shattered,” he said.
He stressed that government and faith-based organisations must work together in addressing both insecurity and its humanitarian consequences.
“Government carries the sword; faith carries the balm. Where the state pursues the perpetrator, faith must reach the survivor,” the governor stated.
Governor Ododo used the occasion to highlight his administration’s achievements in improving security since assuming office in January 2024.
According to him, the state has integrated 2,752 vigilantes into a structured security framework, equipped over 1,050 hunters across the state’s 21 local government areas, established a Quick Response Unit, procured 50 armoured patrol vehicles, and deployed high-technology combat drones to tackle criminal activities in forested areas.
He also noted that, in partnership with the Nigerian Army, the state facilitated the establishment of the 21 Battalion Barracks in Anyigba, strengthening security operations across Kogi State.
The governor said the renewed security strategy had produced measurable results, including the rescue of 23 kidnapped victims along the Ayegunle-Bunu Road earlier this year and the successful foiling of an attempted abduction of pupils in Iluke during a joint security operation.
He further recalled the elimination of notorious bandit leaders Kachalla Kabiru and Kachalla Ibrahim Battijo, describing them as masterminds of violent crimes across several states.
“These men were national nightmares. They terrorised communities across seven states. In our state, they finally met the justice they had for so long evaded,” he said.
Governor Ododo thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government’s continued support, particularly through access to air power and the implementation of the National Counter-Terrorism Doctrine.
He also praised the N5.41 trillion allocation to defence and security in the 2026 national budget as evidence of the President’s commitment to defeating terrorism.
Beyond security, the governor outlined several humanitarian and social investment programmes of his administration, including the N7 billion rehabilitation of 88 primary healthcare centres, the upgrade of more than 300 facilities to secondary healthcare status, and the launch of the Kogi State Health Insurance Scheme to expand access to quality healthcare.
He added that free education and free examination registration had been sustained, backed by a 30 per cent annual budgetary allocation to education, while the World Bank-supported HOPE Programme and interventions through the Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency continue to provide assistance to widows, orphans and displaced persons.
Governor Ododo commended the nationwide reach of the Knights of St. Mulumba, noting that its network of more than 330 subordinate councils across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with over 23,000 Knights and Ladies, places the Order in a strong position to support vulnerable Nigerians.
He also expressed pride that several Kogi indigenes occupy prominent leadership positions within the Order, including the Supreme Knight, Sir Steve Zakari Adehi, SAN; Abuja Metropolitan Grand Knight, Sir Johnson Jimoh; Abuja Metropolitan Lady President, Lady Agnes Eneji; and the National Vice Chairman of the Endowment Fund, Sir Dan Okolo.
The governor called on faith-based organisations across the country to establish similar initiatives for victims of violence and other vulnerable groups, insisting that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility.
“Government cannot do this alone, nor should it,” he said, assuring that the Kogi State Government would partner with the Knights of St. Mulumba as the Endowment Fund and Integrated Charity Initiative is implemented nationwide.
