Omala Council Imposes Dusk-to-Dawn Curfew, Bans Gatherings as Insecurity Spikes

 

The Chairman of Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State, Edibo Mark, has announced sweeping security measures—including a dusk-to-dawn curfew and a suspension of public gatherings—following renewed insecurity across the council area.

The curfew, which restricts movement between 7pm and 6am daily, took effect on December 2 and will remain until further notice. The council has also deployed a 24-hour surveillance team and intensified security patrols in communities experiencing recurrent attacks.

Mark, in a statement on Thursday, said the measures became necessary after recent breaches that endangered residents and disrupted social and economic activities.

To strengthen the security cordon, he directed security agencies to scale up operations at all entry and exit points, enforcing strict stop-and-search checks with full Joint Task Force deployment.

As part of the new protocol, the council suspended all religious and social gatherings, including Moulud celebrations, Christian vigils, and similar events. Festival fireworks were also prohibited.

He further instructed worship centres to keep services brief, stressing the need for strict adherence to safety directives.

Mark appealed to residents to cooperate fully with security operatives, noting that public support remains critical to ongoing operations aimed at restoring peace.

Omala LGA has suffered multiple incidents of kidnapping, banditry and communal clashes in recent months. The Kogi State Government has since established a forward operational base in the area to reinforce security agencies and stabilise affected communities.

The council chairman assured that the measures were temporary and would be reviewed as the security situation improves.