In recent weeks, our dear Kwara State has found itself in the news for unfortunate reasons. Our once peaceful and harmonious state has been engulfed in a wave of terror and insecurity that has left communities reeling and lives shattered. The incidents of abduction and indiscriminate violent attacks have not only scarred the populace but also exposed the glaring inadequacies in governance and security management by the Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led state government.
The recent nightmare began on Saturday, 19th April, 2025, when gunmen ambushed a Toyota Sienna passenger vehicle on Obbo-Aiyegunle/Osi Road in the Ekiti Local Government Area of the state and abducted seven passengers travelling from Abuja to Offa in Kwara State. Up till this moment, none of the kidnapped persons has been released or rescued. It was reported that the kidnappers had reached out to families of the victims to demand millions of naira in ransom.
Barely 24 hours after this incident in Kwara South, another harrowing attack unfolded in a community in Ilesha-Baruba in Kwara North, where about 10 armed assailants unleashed terror on innocent civilians at a relaxation spot. The police said six persons were killed in the unfortunate attack, while two others sustained serious gunshot injuries. On that same day, a vigilante member was reported killed in an encounter with bandits in Kemanji in neighbouring Kaiama local government area.
In continuation of the pattern of escalating violence that has gripped Kwara State, two officials of the Oke-Ero Local Government Council, Barrister Elizabeth Arinde, Head of the Legal Department and Alhaji Musbau Amuda, the Director of Personnel Management were abducted on Friday, April 25. The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin branch, S.M. Kosemani, who confirmed the development, said they were abducted while travelling from Oke-Ero to Ilorin. This incident further underscored the deteriorating security situation we have found ourselves in Kwara.
Just yesterday, the Kwara Police Command confirmed yet another kidnapping incident that further highlights the vulnerability of Kwara South senatorial district to criminal elements. According to the police, an unspecified number of persons were abducted at Eleyinla village near Isanlu-Isin community at about 5:45 pm on Friday, 25 April 2025.
In January this year, five farmers in the Odo-Eku community in the Isin Local Government Area of the State were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen. The Kwara State Police Command confirmed that the five farmers were kidnapped in their home in the wee hours of Wednesday, 15 January, 2025.
Sometimes in February, unidentified gunmen stormed the residence of one Alhaji Moshood on Saturday evening at Owoyale Agbamu, along Oro-Agbamu Road in Ajase Ward 2, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducting him, his wife, and his brother. In that same month, some suspected kidnappers attacked Bero community, a village in Okuta district of Baruten Local Government Area. While the attackers kidnapped two men, they shot two others for resisting, with one of them pronounced dead the following morning.
The few incidents that I have highlighted above are just grim reminders of the pervasive insecurity that residents of Kwara are facing. However, these incidents are not isolated occurrences but rather symptomatic of a broader crisis that has plagued various parts of the state. In the last few years, mindless violent attacks and kidnap for ransom have assumed a very daring and unrestrained level in Kwara State, especially in the South and North senatorial districts of the state, while in Kwara Central, there has been a spike in cult-related attacks. While some are reported, many go unreported in the media.
On January 16, four persons including a high chief were abducted by suspected armed kidnappers in Afin community in Ile-Ire district of Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state. Similarly, on February 1, 2024, gunmen invaded the palace of the Olukoro of Koro in Ekiti Local Government Area, killed the monarch and retired army general, Oba Peter Segun Aremu, and kidnapped his wife and two others.
In August 2024, gunmen ambushed a commercial vehicle along Osi-Obbo road in Ekiti LGA and kidnapped 20 passengers, who were later rescued through the joint efforts of vigilante and police. On September 30, 2024, gunmen invaded the Igbaja community in Ifelodun LGA, abducted three persons, and killed the head of the community security guard.
There are many more reported incidents that I cannot list in this article so as not to bore my readers. But any interested person can just google search kidnap and gunmen attacks in Kwara communities to read about them. The unchecked and hapless security situation has crippled economic activities and displaced residents across Kwara State. Farmers are afraid to go and tend to their farms, and communities live in constant fear, with traditional rulers unable to freely perform their duties in their abodes.
Unfortunately, the man (Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq) who is saddled with the mandate to protect lives and property of Kwarans, has failed woefully in addressing these security challenges. The silence from Mr. Governor has been deafening. What actions has he taken over the years to curb the spate of insecurity in the State? What has the governor been doing with the billions of naira budgeted for security and billions he collects as security votes? When was the last time the governor convened a State Security Council meeting? When last did the governor even convened the State Executive Council meeting to address pressing issues in the state? What do you expect from a governor that spends more time outside the State he was voted to govern?
Instead of focusing on improving security, the governor and his aides seem more preoccupied with political skirmishes and settling scores with perceived political adversaries. The energy and time they spend on attacking political enemies could be better directed towards formulating and implementing effective security strategies to safeguard the lives of Kwara residents.
It is high time Governor Abdulrazaq stayed at home and focused on his primary duty to guarantee security and welfare of Kwarans. He needs to design and implement proactive security measures and tangible actions—not just empty promises and political theatrics. The deteriorating state of insecurity in Kwara State demands urgent attention and decisive action from the government. Abdulrazaq and his team need to start prioritising the safety and well-being of Kwarans over political interests and personal vendettas. Something must be done to ensure that more lives are not needlessly lost and communities don’t continue to suffer under the shadow of fear and uncertainty.
Yusuf Olatunji Obe, the Head of the media unit of *The People’s Voice Advocacy Network*
