A prominent pro-democracy youth organization in Kwara South, known as the Kwara South Youth Congress, is urgently calling on the Kwara State Government to initiate round-table negotiations with the kidnappers who are holding victims in the region.
This plea comes from the group’s spokesperson, Adejare Bashir, who issued a press statement and obtained by Just Event Online TV on Sunday in Ilorin.
The statement highlights a series of alarming incidents, noting that just five days after a tragic kidnapping event on the Obbo Ayegunle expressway, another kidnapping occurred in Isanlu Isin. Bashir emphasized the necessity for the government to take immediate action for the sake of the victims and their families, stating that the kidnappers are reportedly demanding ransoms ranging from 5 million to 15 million naira. “The Kwara State Government must intervene at this critical juncture to restore peace and sanity to Kwara,” Bashir asserted.
Bashir further expressed grave concerns about the safety of the individuals who are currently held captive. “Their lives are in serious jeopardy. We engage with their families daily, and it’s evident they feel utterly helpless,” he remarked. He reiterated the importance of government involvement: “A round-table negotiation with the kidnappers could significantly improve the chances of a positive outcome for the victims.”
Additionally, Bashir addressed the situation of the Offa travelers, who were kidnapped on the 20th of this month. “It has now been over seven days since these victims were abducted, and their whereabouts remain unknown, despite previous assurances from government and security personnel,” he lamented. He stated that the prolonged absence of clarity regarding the victims’ condition is distressing for their families, highlighting how helpless they have become.
He ultimately warned that Kwara South is quickly becoming a perilous area for its citizens, standing as a threat to communal safety. “The government and security forces must intensify their efforts to secure the release of those in captivity and to restore a sense of normalcy and security to Kwara South and Kwara State as a whole,” Bashir concluded emphatically.
