Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has renewed calls for greater military presence in the state after a deadly bandit attack on Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area left at least 15 vigilantes and hunters dead on Sunday.
The heavily armed attackers reportedly struck forest guard posts and nearby settlements, overwhelming local defenders before reinforcements arrived. Several villagers were abducted, while others fled their homes.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor described the incident as a “major setback” despite recent security investments, including the recruitment and training of forest guards.
“My heartfelt condolences go to the families. No word can adequately capture the depth of my sadness and nothing can compensate the bereaved families over these incidents, in spite of our efforts and the investments in enlisting and training the forest guards to bolster the conventional forces,” AbdulRazaq said.
He commended the bravery of vigilantes and hunters who resisted the attack, noting that several bandits were also neutralised. The governor urged residents to remain calm and avoid reprisal violence.
“Finally, I urge our brave residents to remain calm and avoid the temptation to turn on ourselves. We will forever be grateful to all of them as our heroes,” he added.
AbdulRazaq stressed that while security agencies had recorded successes in recent months, additional deployments were urgently required to curb rising insecurity across Kwara South and North.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army Headquarters has directed the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Ibadan, to immediately relocate to Kwara to coordinate and strengthen military response to the crisis.
