Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State says President Bola Tinubu advised him never to negotiate with criminals, describing the policy as key to improving security in the state.

Mr Ododo disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The governor said he visited the president to appreciate him for the federal government’s support in tackling insecurity and the successful rescue of abducted students in Kogi and other parts of the country.

“I came to appreciate Mr President for what he is doing in the area of security, as well as his fight against insecurity.

“I also came to thank him for the successful rescue of our students and the support given to Kogi State,” he said.

Mr Ododo described Mr Tinubu as a leader often misunderstood by those who were not close to him.

“Mr President is one man that, if you are not close to him, you might judge him wrongly from afar.

“The insecurity we face today is an inherited problem, and he confronted it head-on,” he said.

He recalled that Mr Tinubu gave him a firm directive after he assumed office as governor.

“He told me, ‘Don’t negotiate with criminals. Negotiating with criminals indirectly empowers them against yourself.’ That is exactly what we are doing in Kogi State today,” Mr Ododo said.

The governor said the policy had yielded positive results, making Kogi one of the safest states in the country.

“I don’t play with criminals, and I don’t negotiate with them. I can tell you that, as far as Kogi State is concerned, we don’t have a department for ransom payment,” he said.

On infrastructure development, Mr Ododo invited Nigerians to visit Kogi and assess his administration’s performance firsthand.

“If you want to know what we are doing in Kogi State, please come and see for yourselves.

“We are ready to provide every support. Whatever you see, report it. I can assure you we are doing very well,” he said.

(NAN)