The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, North Central, has advised residents and religious groups in Kwara and Kogi states to temporarily suspend “Ori Oke” prayer gatherings held in forests and mountainous areas due to rising security concerns.
In a statement issued by the SSA to the President on Community Engagement, North Central, Dr. Abiodun Essiet, the office warned that such remote locations were increasingly being used as hideouts by bandits and other criminal elements, exposing worshippers to potential danger.
According to the statement, the suspension is a precautionary measure pending improvement in the security situation across the affected areas.
“The Office of the SSA to the President on Community Engagement, North Central, has appealed to residents and religious groups in Kwara and Kogi States to temporarily suspend Ori Oke prayer gatherings until the security situation in the affected areas stabilises,” the statement read.
The office stressed that worship could be conducted safely in other locations, noting that forests and mountains had become operational bases for criminal groups in parts of the North Central region.
It further warned that continued large gatherings in such isolated areas posed avoidable security risks not only to worshippers but also to surrounding communities.
The statement also urged citizens to cooperate with security agencies working to maintain peace and protect lives and property across the region.
“Citizens were also urged to support and cooperate with security agencies who are working tirelessly to sustain peace, protect lives, and maintain security across communities in the North Central region,” the statement added.
