Residents of Kwara South, led by the Kwara South Development Forum, protested on Friday, citing concerns over what they described as a deepening security issue among the region’s indigenous Yoruba communities.
The demonstrators said that armed gangs, which they often referred to as terrorists, were progressively gaining control of many areas, carrying out persistent attacks that included deaths, kidnappings, and the relocation of entire populations.
They said that the repeated assaults were methodically eroding local security systems, notably vigilante groups that had previously served as the first line of defense, and urged President Bola Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to intervene immediately.
During the rally, the forum’s convener, Obashola Ayomide Ridwan, stated, “Our moms, dads, sisters, and brothers have been slaughtered and kidnapped, and our schools in Kwara South have been shut down.
“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 asked traditional rulers in Kwara South to band together and collectively advocate for federal action, saying that failing to act quickly could result in the loss of more indigenous villages to armed groups.
Adebisi Jimoh, a protester, told how repeated attacks caused inhabitants of Babanla and nearby towns to escape.
“They were lucky to come back alive. Many others are not that fortunate,” he said.
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In his statements, Aleshinloye Saheed stated that the assailants appeared to be targeting local defense commanders using 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, urged traditional authorities and the state government to act quickly, saying that the response thus far had not been proportionate to the severity of the situation.
Residents further said that in recent weeks, coordinated attacks have happened in various communities, resulting in school closures, farmland abandonment, and the collapse of economic activity, as panic grips the region and many families flee to safer places and neighboring states.
Locals in some places allege that traditional rulers are no longer dwelling inside their domains due to safety concerns, while illicit mining and the presence of armed groups in forested areas have exacerbated the situation by providing safe havens for criminal enterprises.
The protesters warned that unless immediate and long-term 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 worse humanitarian crisis, with more communities falling under the control of armed groups.
