Kogi

Kogi is a state in the central region of Nigeria. It is popularly called the Confluence State because the confluence of River Niger and River Benue is at its capital, Lokoja, which is the first administrative capital of modern-day Nigeria.

Agriculture is a main part of the economy, and the state also has coal, steel and other mineral industries.

The main ethnic groups are Igala, Ebira, and Okun.

Geography

Adjacent States

Kogi state is the only state in Nigeria which shares a boundary with ten other states.

History and people

The state was created in 1991 from parts of Kwara State and Benue State. The state as presently constituted, comprises the people of the Kabba Province of Northern Nigeria. One of the first Qadi in the Kogi State was Faruk Imam.

Boko Haram

Boko Haram, referred to by themselves as Wilāyat Gharb Ifrīqīyyah (Arabic: الولاية الإسلامية غرب أفريقيا‎, (Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP), and Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād (Arabic: جماعة أهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد‎, "Group of the People of Sunnah for Preaching and Jihad"), is an Islamic extremist group based in northeastern Nigeria, also active in Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon. The group's leader is Abubakar Shekau. The group had alleged links to al-Qaeda, but in March 2015, it announced its allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Since the current insurgency started in 2009, it has killed 20,000 and displaced 2.3 million from their homes.

After its founding in 2002, Boko Haram's increasing radicalization led to a violent uprising in July 2009 in which its leader was summarily executed. Its unexpected resurgence, following a mass prison break in September 2010, was accompanied by increasingly sophisticated attacks, initially against soft targets, and progressing in 2011 to include suicide bombings of police buildings and the United Nations office in Abuja. The government's establishment of a state of emergency at the beginning of 2012, extended in the following year to cover the entire northeast of Nigeria, led to an increase in both security force abuses and militant attacks.

Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army (NA) is the largest component of the Nigerian Armed Forces, and responsible for land warfare operations. It is governed by the Nigerian Army Council (NAC).

Given its considerable investment in materiel, the Nigerian Army has generally been perceived as one of the better equipped fighting forces on the African continent. It bears the brunt of the nation's security challenges, notably the Boko Haram insurgency.

The original elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) in Nigeria were formed in 1900. During the Second World War, British-trained Nigerian troops saw action with the 1st (West Africa) Infantry Brigade, the 81st and the 82nd (West Africa) Divisions which fought in the East African Campaign (World War II) and in the Far East.

In Nigeria, from a force of 18,000 in infantry battalions and supporting units, strength rose to around 126,000 in three divisions by the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970 . In terms of doctrine, the task of the Federal Nigerian army did not fundamentally change: its task remained to close with and defeat an organised enemy.

Mercy Johnson

Mercy Johnson Okojie, popularly known as Mercy Johnson, was born in Lagos on 28 August 1984, is a Nigerian actress who made her acting debut in the movie, "The Maid" in which she played the role of a possessed house help. Her performance in the movie shot her into the limelight and she has acted in other movies ever since. Mercy is a native of Okene in Kogi state, and comes from a family of seven children. Mercy reveals she got into the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) because she failed her University entrance examinations. Johnson has appeared in over 60 movies. Mercy has revealed that growing up was tough and had difficulties paying her school fees most times. She also reveals that she worked as a housemaid to survive. She was one of the inaugural winners at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards 2013 for her role in the comedy film "Dumebi the Dirty Girl".

Johnson won the 2009 African Film Award for best supporting actress.

Personal life

The Nollywood Actress, Mercy Johnson got married to Prince Odianosen Okojie at Christ Embassy Church, Oregun, Ikeja Lagos on Saturday, August 27, 2011. On August 29, 2012, Mercy Johnson's spokesman officially disclosed to the media about her pregnancy. It was an exciting moment for her fans as there have been several rumors and speculations surrounding her pregnancy. On December 30, 2012, Mercy Johnson delivered a baby girl called Purity in the United States of America. Mercy Johnson shared photos of her baby with her fans as she departed to Nigeria Baby Purity Ozioma Okojie’s thanksgiving ceremony was held in the first week of March 2013. She gave birth to a boy on October 15, 2014.She gave birth to their third child, a daughter on 11 December, 2015 in United States of America.