The Kogi State government has issued a stern warning to landlords against renting their properties to internet fraudsters, often referred to as Yahoo Boys.
This warning was delivered by the State Security Adviser, retired Navy Commander Jerry Omodara, during the “State of Kogi” radio program on Monday.
Omodara cautioned that landlords who continue to lease their properties to these fraudsters risk having their buildings demolished. He also mentioned that security agencies will soon clamp down on hotels used by Yahoo Boys, enforcing strict penalties on these establishments.
He disclosed that the government, in collaboration with security agencies, has identified properties constructed with illicit funds and those harboring criminals. These properties, he said, will be demolished in due course. Omodara called on residents to support the government and security agencies by providing information that would lead to the arrest of internet fraudsters.
Omodara praised Governor Usman Ododo’s initiatives to enhance security and appealed to businesses and affluent individuals to donate to the State Security Trust Fund. He also revealed that security forces and local hunters have been instructed to arrest or neutralize anyone found carrying arms in the forests.
It’s noteworthy that, in the previous administration led by former Governor Yahaya Bello, the Kogi State government demolished several criminal hideouts, mainly in Okene and surrounding areas.
