Kwara residents protest against insecurity, demand urgent action

Residents of Kwara South, under the aegis of the Kwara South Development Forum, on Friday took to the streets in protest, raising alarm over what they described as a worsening security crisis overwhelming indigenous Yoruba communities in the region.

The protesters alleged that armed groups, which they repeatedly described as terrorists, are gradually taking control of several communities, carrying out sustained attacks marked by killings, kidnappings and the displacement of entire populations.

They claimed that the repeated assaults are systematically weakening local security structures, particularly vigilante groups that once served as the first line of defence, and called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to urgently intervene.

Speaking during the protest, the convener of the forum, Obashola Ayomide Ridwan, said: “Our mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers have been killed and kidnapped, while our schools have been shut down in Kwara South.

“We are demonstrating today to express our concerns to President Tinubu and Governor AbdulRazaq to empower local vigilantes and other security agencies to end the kidnapping and killings in Kwara South.”

The group also urged traditional rulers across Kwara South to close ranks and collectively push for federal intervention, warning that failure to act swiftly could result in the loss of more indigenous communities to armed elements.

One of the protesters, Adebisi Jimoh, described how repeated attacks have forced residents of Babanla and surrounding settlements to flee.

“Our community has become deserted. Our family members have been kidnapped, and we had to raise ransom to secure their release. Many of us have been chased out of our homes.”

Another protester, Sodiq Amidu, said two victims, Abdullah Issa and Yusuf Ibrahim, were released only after ransoms of N10 million and N5 million were paid, respectively.

“They were lucky to come back alive. Many others are not that fortunate,” he said.

In his remarks, Aleshinloye Saheed said the attackers appeared to be targeting local defence leaders with the help of informants.

“Our brave vigilante commanders have been killed, and our people have become vulnerable. Communities in Kwara South have been deserted as a result.

“We are calling on President Bola Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to take decisive and coordinated action over the incessant insecurity in Kwara South.”

Another resident, Ishola Kwara, appealed to traditional rulers and the state government to act swiftly, noting that the response so far had not matched the scale of the crisis.

Findings by The PUNCH from the protest indicate that insecurity has reached alarming levels across several parts of Kwara South, particularly in Ifelodun, Ekiti, Oke-Ero and Irepodun local government areas, where residents report near-daily cases of abductions, violent attacks and displacement, with many communities partially or completely deserted.

Residents also alleged that in recent weeks, coordinated attacks have occurred in multiple settlements, leading to the shutdown of schools, abandonment of farmlands and the collapse of economic activities, as fear grips the region and many families relocate to safer towns and neighbouring states.

In some areas, locals claimed that traditional rulers are no longer residing within their domains due to safety concerns, while illegal mining activities and the presence of armed groups in forested areas have further compounded the crisis, creating safe havens for criminal operations.

The protesters warned that unless urgent and sustained security measures are implemented—including increased deployment of security personnel, intelligence-driven operations, and the restructuring and empowerment of local vigilante networks—Kwara South may face a deeper humanitarian crisis, with more communities falling under the control of armed groups.