Residents of Kogi State have commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for arresting two suspected terrorists who masterminded deadly attacks near the palace of the Ohinoyi on December 29, 2022.
A cross section of the citizens who spoke to The Authority said they were relieved that AbdulmumIbrahim Otaru (aka Abu Mikdad) and Saidu Suleiman were apprehended, and in good time.
According to the residents, the arrest of Otaru and Suleiman would heighten citizens’ confidence in government’s ability to protect life and property, as well as deter other persons who might want to embrace terrorism.
An Islamic cleric, Alhaji Abdul Mohammed said they have been worried by the activities of Otaru and his apostles, especially the bad image it was portraying Islam.
“Islam is a religion of peace. Sadly, some misguided people around the world are trying to tie he religion to terrorism or violence. We, as Islamic leaders, are duty-bound to correct this impression and teach our young ones the truth about Islam,” noted the scholar
He commended the DSS in Kogi State for rising to the occasion to arrest the terrorists, saying the arrests have proven that our intelligence services are among the best in the world.
“What the DSS is very laudable. In fact, it is challenge to other sister security agencies, including the military to sit up and prove their mettle,” he stated, stressing, “we can now see that with the right motivation, our security agencies can do wonders.”
Another resident of the state, Okechukwu Udensi thanked the DSS for “restoring the confidence of the citizens in government.”
He said, “I’ve lived in Okene for over 20 years. The activities of these fundamentalist have been a source of worry to many,but they dared not speak out.
“Thank God for using the DSS to arrest their king pins. The implication is that we can now breathe a new air of freedom. W can, once again, move around freely, without being afraid for our lives,” he declared.