- Governor mourns victims, commends fallen forest guards
- Army orders GOC Ibadan to relocate to Kwara
- Residents call for urgent action as insecurity heightens
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has called for an immediate scale-up of security deployments in the state following Sunday’s deadly bandit attack on Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area, which claimed several lives, including that of the Baale of Ogbayo and members of the state’s newly recruited forest guards.
The attack, which occurred at dawn, saw armed men storming the community, targeting local vigilantes and civilians. Official police figures confirmed at least 12 deaths, though residents fear the toll may be higher. The tragic incident has sparked fresh concerns about the worsening insecurity in Kwara South and parts of Kwara North.
In a statement released late Sunday, Governor AbdulRazaq described the killings as “heinous” and mourned the victims, praising the forest guards and local hunters who mounted what he called a “spirited resistance” against the attackers.
“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,” the Governor said.
He urged residents to remain calm and not resort to reprisal actions, while assuring them that his administration is committed to strengthening security infrastructure across the state.
“Finally, I urge our brave residents to remain calm and avoid the temptation to turn on ourselves. I equally commend all the forest guards and the local hunters who, though lost five of their compatriots, equally neutralised several of the attackers. We will forever be grateful to all of them as our heroes,” he added.
In a swift response, the Nigerian Army Headquarters directed the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Ibadan, to immediately relocate to Kwara State to coordinate and intensify military operations in the troubled axis.
This directive signals a stronger federal intervention in tackling criminal hideouts in the forests straddling Kwara, Kogi, and Oyo States, where bandits have mounted repeated assaults on rural communities in recent months.
The Oke-Ode attack has further fueled fears about the spread of rural insecurity into Kwara, a state hitherto seen as relatively insulated from the large-scale violence plaguing some northern states.
Community leaders and civil society groups have called for urgent action, insisting that the government must match words with decisive operations to secure farmlands, highways, and border communities.
“This is no longer the time for condolences alone,” said a resident, who asked not to be named. “We need sustained military presence in these areas. Our people can no longer sleep with their eyes closed.”
The Oke-Ode killings are the latest in a series of security breaches that have unsettled rural communities in Kwara South. In recent months, attacks on forest guard formations and farmers have raised alarm about the infiltration of armed gangs into the state.
With over 4.1 billion naira reportedly accruing to the state’s local governments in the last nine months, residents are increasingly demanding transparency on how much is being invested in local security arrangements.
For now, all eyes are on the state government and the security agencies as they move to forestall further bloodshed.
Leave a Reply