Kwara State is currently battling a worsening wave of insecurity, with nine out of its sixteen local government areas reportedly under siege by bandits and kidnappers who now demand not only cash but also food and drinks as ransom.
Despite ongoing government efforts, the violence—especially across the northern and southern regions of the state—continues unabated, leaving many residents in fear and despair.
Nine Councils Under Attack
While the Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Ilorin South, Asa, Moro, Offa, and Oyun local governments have largely remained unaffected, the remaining nine LGAs in both the north and south have faced persistent raids, killings, and abductions.
Sources told Sunday Vanguard that most of the attackers are herdsmen from Zamfara and Sokoto States who infiltrated Kwara through Niger State, often aided by local collaborators.
These groups reportedly operate from thick forests across the northern and southern belts, where they have resided for nearly three decades. Over time, they allegedly abandoned herding for kidnapping after realizing it was a quicker route to wealth—turning several of them into overnight millionaires.
Timeline of Attacks
The first waves of reported abductions and killings began around four years ago in Edu, Patigi, Baruten, and Kaiama LGAs.
In Edu Local Government, several attacks have been recorded:
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A woman was kidnapped in Kpanpkanragi village during a late-night assault in August.
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In Gamalegi village, four people were abducted the same month.
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Another attack in Lataworo community forced residents to flee.
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In Tsaragi, a prominent businessman was kidnapped, while a newlywed was killed and hundreds of cattle rustled in Bokungi.
Unreported killings of farmers have also been recorded in Kaiama LGA, while six residents were kidnapped in Motokun and Agboro communities in Patigi.
In Kwara South, neighbouring the north, bandits abducted two persons in Babanla, Ifelodun LGA, shortly after Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq visited the area.
Ransom and Financial Burden
According to reports, over 90% of families of abducted victims have had to raise hundreds of millions of naira to meet ransom demands.
A former NLC chairman in Kwara, Emmanuel Ayeoribe, told Sunday Vanguard that kidnappers have recently begun adding food and drinks to their ransom lists.
“No sane person would fold his arms when kidnappers demand ransom to free loved ones. Now, aside from money, they ask for food and drinks. Many families and businesses have been ruined in the process,” he lamented.
He criticized government’s inability to fully protect citizens, saying:
“It’s the responsibility of government to secure lives and property; the ball is in their court.”
Government’s Response
The state government insists it has not been idle. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has provided logistics support such as vehicles and motorcycles to security agencies and has repeatedly called for increased military presence.
Security forces — including the police, military, and local vigilantes — have conducted joint rescue operations, freeing some victims, though others remain in captivity.
To limit exposure, the government has also:
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Closed cattle markets in Kwara South,
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Relocated the NYSC orientation camp from Yikpata (Edu LGA) to Ilorin, and
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Moved the 2025 Medical and Surgical Outreach from Oke-Ode to Omupo after renewed attacks.
Oke-Ode Massacre and Government Denial
The most recent assault occurred last Sunday in Oke-Ode, where 11 forest guards and a community head were killed. Survivors claimed the bandits exploited the withdrawal of ammunition by the DSS, a claim the government has denied.
A forest guard, Ajetunmobi, who survived, accused authorities of negligence:
“We had intelligence that the bandits were coming. Why were the soldiers withdrawn?”
In a viral video, a grieving widow blamed the DSS for disarming local vigilantes before the attack, but the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaiye, dismissed the claim as false and demoralising, though he expressed sympathy for the bereaved.
Meanwhile, air strikes by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) reportedly neutralized several terrorists on the Kwara–Kogi border, including a notorious kidnap kingpin, Maiwada, and his associates.
Air and Ground Counterattacks
The NAF Director of Public Relations, Ehimen Ejodame, confirmed that fighter jets carried out multiple coordinated missions over Kakihun, Oke-Ode, Babanla, and neighbouring areas.
“Reconnaissance and close air support operations were executed to deter threats. Hostile elements east of Babanla were decisively engaged,” Ejodame said.
Surveillance flights also gathered vital intelligence to aid ground troops.
Vigilante Training and Structural Challenges
About 800 vigilantes have been trained at the Sobi Military Barracks in Ilorin to strengthen local defence efforts. However, many forest guards lack access to sophisticated weapons like AK-47 rifles, which bandits use with devastating effect.
Officials admit that bureaucratic bottlenecks between the state and federal security structures have slowed rapid response efforts, as the military, police, and Air Force operate under federal control.
A local security expert told Sunday Vanguard:
“Since state governments don’t control security forces, even well-planned state-level strategies often fail. It weakens the fight against banditry.”
Governor’s Vow
Following a high-level security meeting in Ilorin, Governor AbdulRazaq vowed to use every available resource to defeat insecurity.
“Kwara will not become a haven for criminals,” he declared.
Despite the vow, residents across the nine affected local governments remain on edge, with many hoping government action will finally end what has become a long, bloody siege.
