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- Legit.ng gathered that the Kwara residents protested the incessant kidnappings in their communities
- The youths, carrying placards with different inscriptions, blocked the road with bonfires, demanding effective government intervention
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro.
Ilorin, Kwara state – Community leaders and youths in Isin local government area (LGA) of Kwara state on Saturday, September 13, staged a notable protest.
As reported by The Punch, the demonstrators blocked Ilorin–Omu-Aran–Kabba Highway, expressing their strong displeasure with the ‘rising banditry and kidnappings’.
Photo credit: Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq
Source: Facebook
Protest in Kwara
Arise News also noted the protest.
The aggrieved residents who mounted barricades chanted solidarity songs. Their placards displayed inscriptions such as ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘We Demand Government Urgent Intervention’, ‘Stop Kidnapping Our People’, and ‘We Are Tired of Paying Ransom Without Results’.
The protesters, from Isanlu-Isin, Oke-Onigbin and Edidi communities, were led by some traditional leaders. They lamented that incessant abductions had crippled farming and business activities, creating fear and hunger among residents.
Images of the protest can be viewed below:
Ismaila Ahmed, the Serikin Fulani of Eleyin village in Isin LGA, said:
“Our people have become targets of the kidnappers in recent times.
“No fewer than eleven of our people are yet to regain their freedom, and we have paid N20 million to date.”
Kwara is led by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).
Legit.ng reports that kidnapping for ransom by terrorists is rife in northern Nigeria due to high levels of poverty, unemployment, and the proliferation of firearms.
Armed groups have been carrying out disturbing attacks in several remote communities in Kwara state which is in Nigeria’s northcentral region, often taking advantage of the inadequate security presence in those areas.
The attacks in Kwara poses a new challenge to Governor Abdulrazaq, who extended the ruling party’s reign with his election victory in 2023. He recently promised to solve the state’s fresh security crisis.
The attacks also add to growing pressure from the opposition and activists who have accused Abdulrazaq of not doing enough to guarantee security.
Amid concerns among citizens, Governor AbdulRazaq assured communities in Kwara state of his administration’s determination to obliterate insecurity.
In a statement on Saturday, September 13, Governor AbdulRazaq said:
“In addition to our support for the security agencies, I assure our communities of continuous support to resist violent attacks.”
He added:
“As we mount this bold resistance in moral courage against criminality, I urge that we strike the right balance so that we do not further undermine our collective well-being, which violent protests may amount to. Together, we will ensure that our communities are rid of all criminal elements as security forces work with local vigilantes to strengthen public safety.”
Read more Kwara state news:
Bandits abduct 7 Kwara residents
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that fear gripped communities in Kwara North as terrorists unleashed fresh assaults, killing and abducting residents despite the recent arrest of their notorious leader, Mahmud Mohammed Usman, popularly known as Abu Baraa, and his deputy, Mallam Mamuda.
The fresh attack happened as residents in Patigi and Ifelodun LGAs narrated how the bandits killed and abducted community members.
Source: Legit.ng
