Residents of Kwara South under the aegis of the Kwara South Development Forum have staged a protest over what they described as incessant insecurity ravaging their communities, calling on President Bola Tinubu and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to act swiftly before the situation spirals further out of control.
The protesters accused armed groups, which they repeatedly described as terrorists, of taking over indigenous Yoruba communities in Kwara South, unleashing a wave of killings, kidnappings, and mass displacement of residents.
They warned that entire communities had been overrun, while local vigilante structures have been systematically dismantled.
Speaking during the protest, the Convener of the forum, Obashola Ayomide Ridwan, painted a grim picture of the security situation, alleging that informants have been aiding the attackers in targeting local defense leaders.
“Our local vigilante commanders were identified by informants, and the terrorists went after each of them and killed them one by one. After eliminating these commanders, they took over our communities, killing and kidnapping innocent people,” he said.
He added that the consequences had been devastating across the region, with families torn apart and social structures collapsing.
“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 the local vigilantes and other security agencies to end the kidnapping and killings in Kwara South,” Ridwan stated.
The group also urged traditional rulers across Kwara South to rise above divisions and collectively engage the presidency, stressing that urgent high-level intervention is needed to halt what they described as a “creeping occupation” of their land.
During the protest, emotions ran high as victims and residents shared personal accounts of loss and displacement.
A female protester, Adebisi Jimoh, recounted how her community, Babanla, has effectively been abandoned due to persistent attacks.
“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,” she said.
Another protester, Sodiq Amidu, who spoke through tears, narrated how two of his close associates were abducted and only released after paying heavy ransom.
He identified the victims as Abdullah Issa, who paid N10million, and Yusuf Ibrahim, who paid N5million before regaining freedom.
“They were lucky to come back alive. Many others are not that fortunate,” Amidu lamented.
Also speaking, a prominent activist in the region, Aleshinloye Saheed, alleged that the attackers were able to consolidate control after eliminating local resistance.
“Our brave vigilante commanders have been killed, and our people have become vulnerable. Communities in Kwara South have been deserted as a result,” he said.
He called for what he described as “concerted action” from both federal and state authorities.
“We are calling on President Bola Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to take decisive and coordinated action over the incessant insecurity in Kwara South,” Saheed added.
Another protester, identified as Ishola Kwara, appealed directly to traditional rulers and the state government, expressing deep frustration over what he described as a lack of adequate response.
The protesters maintained that without urgent intervention — including the empowerment and restructuring of local vigilante groups and stronger security presence — Kwara South risks further descent into lawlessness.
They vowed to continue peaceful demonstrations until concrete steps are taken to restore security, rebuild trust, and enable displaced residents to return to their ancestral homes.