About 5,821 farmers have benefited from Kwara State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (LPRES) Project.
Among the beneficiaries are 4,112 men and 1,709 women, pointing to efforts by the state to include women in livestock development activities.
A Strategic Communication and Development Consultant, Aishat Onusi, who analysed the project’s impact, said Kwara LPRES is the highest-rated programme among 20 participating states.
In a statement, she attributed the development to steady delivery, broad farmer reach and strong governance structures.
Onusi said Kwara’s top ranking was not accidental but the outcome of “consistent, measurable and well-coordinated implementation across the livestock value chain.”
She said: “While the ranking has attracted attention, the more important question is why Kwara stood out.
“When you examine the performance indicators as of December, what you see is a project that focused on delivery, coverage and practical investments that directly affect livestock productivity and farmer livelihoods.”
Onusi said the project’s national visibility was further strengthened by how its performance was assessed.
She said: “What elevated attention on Kwara LPRES is that its performance was not self-assessed or internally proclaimed.
“The ranking followed an independent assessment by National Coordination Office in collaboration with World Bank, using standardised indicators aligned with World Bank benchmarks.”
She said the assessment covered institutional coordination, financial management, safeguards compliance, security management, reporting efficiency and delivery of results.
“This kind of external validation matters because it shows that the results are not just visible but verifiable in a nationally comparable framework,” she said.
Linking the outcome to governance, Onusi said sustained political support under Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq helped create stability for project execution.
She said: “Timely counterpart funding and policy continuity reduced bottlenecks and allowed project teams to focus on delivery rather than crisis management.”
She also cited the role of Ministry of Livestock Development, saying its oversight and strategic direction ensured alignment between political leadership, sector policy, and project management.
Onusi explained that farmer support under Kwara LPRES was deliberately designed to be multi-layered.
She said: “This was not a one-dimensional intervention. About 1,509 farmers participated in structured training programmes, 586 farmers benefitted from extension services, while 367 farmers were trained through Farmer Field Schools in good animal husbandry practices with strong emphasis on practical application.”
She added that 2,905 farmers received direct input support, describing the intervention as “critical to improving productivity and advancing the project’s broader commercialisation objectives.”
Beyond farmers, the consultant said the project invested heavily in strengthening the human systems that sustain livestock development.
“A total of 475 federal and state-level personnel, including extension agents and technical staff, were trained under the project.
“This is important because strong institutions are often the difference between short-term success and lasting impact,” she said.
On animal health, Onusi said Kwara LPRES supported the vaccination of 87,928 animals against anthrax disease, comprising 75,899 cattle and 12,029 goats and sheep.
She said: “For livestock farmers, these numbers are not abstract.
“They translate into reduced animal mortality, improved productivity and greater income stability.”
She also highlighted the project’s infrastructure investments, noting that six slaughter slabs were rehabilitated and upgraded to climate-smart standards.
“In total, 24 livestock-related infrastructure facilities were rehabilitated or constructed across the state, including livestock markets, cold chain facilities, laboratories, Farmers’ Field Schools, ruminant cluster facilities and three solar-powered automatic weather stations to support climate-informed livestock planning,” she said.
According to Onusi, Kwara LPRES also paid attention to crisis prevention and conflict mitigation.
“The project constructed 84 water points along grazing areas and stock routes, including 62 solar-powered boreholes and 22 hand-pump boreholes,” she said.
She added that 264 kilometres of stock routes were identified and mapped for planned protection from encroachment.
“These interventions reduce competition over land and water resources and support peaceful coexistence between pastoralists and host communities,” she noted.
From a project management standpoint, Onusi said the recognition reflected disciplined adherence to agreed standards.
“Compliance was not treated as a formality. Reporting, safeguards and financial controls were integrated into everyday operations,” she said.
She quoted the State Project Coordinator, Mr. Olusoji Oyawoye, as attributing the achievement to teamwork and consistency, noting that the ranking positions Kwara as “a reference point for effective implementation of World Bank-supported projects nationwide.”
Onusi added: “In the end, it is the combination of data-backed results, institutional coordination and governance discipline that explains why Kwara LPRES continues to attract attention beyond the headlines.”
As permutations ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Kwara State gather momentum, one question continues to dominate political conversations across the state
The question is: who has the competence, legitimacy, and capacity to consolidate the reforms of the current administration and move Kwara decisively forward?
Contrary to propaganda narratives suggesting otherwise, Kwara South is neither politically exhausted nor bereft of credible candidates for the race. Rather, it is uniquely positioned to present what is arguably the most qualified and prepared governorship prospects within the All Progressives Congress (APC): a world-renowned neurosurgeon, academic, physician executive, and successful entrepreneur, Professor Wale Sulaiman.
Nigeria operates a constitutional democracy, and the APC’s constitution guarantees open participation and competitive primaries for all qualified aspirants, irrespective of regional origin. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has repeatedly emphasized this principle in several fora, stressing that internal democracy and party congresses must determine candidates emergence.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has consistently reflected this ethos through his democratic posture and reform-driven governance in the state. It is therefore, within both constitutional and party frameworks for qualified aspirants from Kwara South, Kwara Central, and Kwara North to contest for the governorship in 2027, not as a concession, but as a democratic right.
The political climate across the three senatorial districts confirm this reality. Kwara Central and Kwara North have mobilised openly around their sons, with consultations and declarations already underway. This level of engagement is legitimate and expected. What is neither democratic nor strategic is the suggestion advanced by some stakeholders, that the herculean tasks of making Kwara State the envy of the nation should be decided based on zoning.
Among all the names currently circulating across the three zones, Professor Wale Sulaiman stands out, not by regional sentiments, but by the credibility of his credentials. A clear-eyed assessment of the field shows that none of the perceived emerging contenders possess his combined national relevance, international credibility, executive leadership experience, and measurable public impacts.
His political relevance did not begin in theory. Like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who returned from the diaspora in the 1980s and joined Nigerian politics on the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Professor Sulaiman contested the 2023 Kwara South senatorial election on the same SDP platform. He polled over 27,000 votes, emerging third in the competitive contest, powered largely by organic professionals, mass, and youth-driven supports. After the elections, he returned to the APC in 2023, mobilized his supporters for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s re-election and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s election. He has been prioritizing party unity and long-term stability over prolonged fragmentation.
Sulaiman is also a product of the current APC administration in Kwara State. He was the first cabinet-level appointee of AbdulRazaq, serving as Special Assistant on Health Matters. His contributions to health sector reforms and his role during the COVID-19 pandemic form a verifiable part of the administration’s governance records.This positions him, not as a disruptor, but a continuity candidate with in-depth knowledge of the administration’s policy direction, institutionalized culture, and reforms objectives.
Beyond state politics, Prof. Sulaiman’s public service credentials are dominant at the national level. He currently serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun (FUHSI), where his leadership has strengthened governance frameworks, infrastructural developments and driven institutionalized reforms. He recently approved the employment of over 200 academicians, 62 of whom are from Kwara. He is also a Member of the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee of TETFund. He has served on multiple ministerial committees, including the Federal Ministry of Education’s monitoring team on high-impact medical school rehabilitation projects across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Notably, he chaired the Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee for the establishment of Medical Simulation Centres nationwide, reflecting the trust in his administrative and technical competence at the federal level.
Internationally, Sulaiman’s career trajectory is exceptional. He has held senior leadership positions in most advanced healthcare systems in the world. He served as System Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and Co-Medical Director of the Neuroscience Institute at Ochsner Health System in the United States, where he transformed a modest programme into the number one neuroscience centre in Louisiana. He is one of the top 25 in the U.S., expanding its workforce from 10 to over 200 and growing revenue from $50 million to over $400 million. As a Medical Director of the Ochsner Back and Spine Center, he established the region’s first multidisciplinary spine centre, improving patient outcomes, while saving millions through efficiency reforms. He used his leadership position at Ochsner to facilitate training opportunities for many Nigerian healthcare workers in the USA.
His executive experience also includes serving as Medical Director for Ochsner International in Sub-Sahara Africa, where he led healthcare business development, expanded operations to over 150 employees, and secured a multi-million-dollar hospital management contract with Shell Nigeria. He later served as Chief Medical Director and CEO of Shell Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt between 2017 and 2023, overseeing complex healthcare delivery within a corporate and public-private framework. He currently practices as a Consultant Neurosurgeon in the United States. He runs one of the most respected neurosurgery and spine clinics in Nigeria- RNZ Clinic (Neurosciences).
Sulaiman’s spirit of giving back to the homeland has been recognized world-wide and in Nigeria. He took a 25% paycut at his job in the USA to free up time to return to Nigeria every month to educate, teach and perform modern neurosurgery and spine surgeries, including free surgeries. He has organized multiple medical missions that have benefitted thousands of Nigerians. Former President Muhammadu Buhari conferred on him one of the highest national honours, Commander of the Order of Niger (CON), in recognition of his humanitarian and exceptional services to the country. His humanitarian footprints in Kwara State, through RNZ Foundation is unparalleled. Over 3,000 students have been supported through the RNZ JAMB Scholarship Programme, more than 100 confirmed tertiary scholarships, empowerment of over 1,500 farmers, medical outreach services for over 4,000 Kwarans, cataract and glaucoma surgeries for over 100 patients, revolving funds for market women, and numerous community projects, including borehole drilling and vocational trainings. These are data-backed interventions, not campaign rhetorics.
Kwara has witnessed significant transformations under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration. Therefore, the selection of the next Leader of Kwara State should be based on demonstrable capacity to build on the legacy of AA’s administration, capability, vision, management, leadership, administrative and executive experience, not on ethnic or tribal sentiments; not giving it to the highest bidders, who see politics as a business investments.
The case for Prof. Wale Sulaiman is therefore, not rooted in the usual ethnic sentiments, but competence, continuity, and capacity. His blend of international executive leadership, national politics and policy exposure, state-level governance experience, and grassroots humanitarian impacts present a rare convergence in Kwara politics. We therefore call on Sulaiman, to step forward and join the governorship race in 2027.
Afolayan, a social critic, wrote from Ilorin, Kwara State capital
Kwara State teachers yesterday staged a peaceful protest over their exclusion from the newly approved 30 per cent Teachers Salary allowance (TSA) by the state government.
The teachers converged on the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) state office in Ilorin and expressed their displeasure at the state government’s decision
They described the exclusion as unfair and discriminatory.
But Governor Abdulraman AbdulRazaq during the 2026 budget presentation, promised that his administration would begin the implementation of PSA from January 2026.
Speaking on behalf of the protesting teachers, Comrade Segun Afolabi insisted that the 27.5 per cent TSA is a statutory entitlement and should not be merged with, or used as a replacement for, the newly approved 30 per cent allowance meant for workers.
He said that “other states are implementing the 30% peculiar allowance and ours should not be an exception. Teachers earning in Kwaran State is far below the economic reality of the country.
“Education suffers because teachers are not well paid. All civil servants in Kwara State were paid November 2024 palliatives; only teachers were exempted.
“It is on this note that we demand immediate implementation of peculiar allowance for teachers, as it is being implemented for other civil servants in Kwara State.”
Reacting to the protest, the Kwara State Chairman of the NUT, Comrade Yusuf Wahab Agboola, appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to urgently include teachers in the new allowance in the interest of equity and industrial harmony.
He said the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kwara State Wing, had appealed in a circular to public school teachers in the state to remain calm and avoid further protests over their exclusion from the recently introduced Peculiar Allowance approved for core civil servants in ministries, departments and agencies.
Agboola acknowledged that teachers were pained by their exclusion from the 30 per cent Peculiar Allowance, noting that the development had triggered emotional reactions within the union.
“There is no gainsaying that we are in pain and our hearts are disturbed by the missing gaps in the payment of the newly introduced Peculiar Allowance, from which Kwara public school teachers were excluded,” he said.
The NUT chairman dismissed claims that the union’s leadership failed the teachers, describing such perceptions as incorrect and misleading.
He explained that: “The union had demanded during negotiations that the 30 per cent Peculiar Allowance be extended to teachers in addition to the 27.5 per cent and 21 per cent TSA already under consideration.
“We categorically told representatives of the state government that the Peculiar Allowance should also be extended to teachers,” Agboola said.
Agboola also criticised the protest staged by some teachers on December 22, alleging that it was driven by “ulterior motives,” exploiting the frustration of innocent members.
He said the union’s leadership was absent during the protest because it was not formally notified, while secretariat staff were already on end-of-year holidays.
He added that both the State Chairman and Secretary were out of the state at the time.
Kwara State House of Assembly has passed the Harmonised Taxes and Levies (approval for collection) Bill, 2025, into law.
The bill is aimed at strengthening revenue administration and ensuring uniformity in tax collection across the state.
The passage of the bill followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during plenary session, led by the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Arinola Lawal.
The lawmaker said the report presented, truly reflected the deliberations and resolutions reached during the committee stage.
Following the adoption of the report, Speaker Yakub Salihu directed the Clerk to read the bill for the third time, in accordance with Order 11, Rule 73 Subsection One of the House Standing Rules.
The Harmonised Taxes and Levies (Approval for Collection) Bill, 2025, was thereafter read the third time and duly passed into law.
Salihu, however, directed the Clerk to prepare a clean copy for the direct assent of the governor.
The Chancellor of Summit University, Offa, Kwara State, and Chairman of Rite Foods Limited, Dr Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, has identified investment in quality education as a catalyst for sustainable socio-economic development.
Adegunwa stated this while delivering his address at the 5th and 6th combined convocation ceremony of the university held at the Alhaja Adiat Abegbe Makanjuola Lecture Theatre.
According to him, the dedication and financial commitment of stakeholders have continued to strengthen the university’s foundation and growth trajectory. He appealed to well-meaning individuals to support the institution in its drive for sustainable development.
He said: “This event marks a key milestone for our university. It honours our graduates and celebrates our shared success. An investment in knowledge pays the best dividend. The journey we have embarked upon with Summit University stands as one of the most rewarding investments.
“Our dividend from this investment is not only for today; it is also for posterity. Let us join hands to lift Summit University high, open doors to quality education, and change the world for the better.”
Reflecting on the institution’s progress, the chancellor noted that the university has experienced remarkable growth since he assumed office as the pioneer chancellor in December 2023.
“Since the last convocation, undergraduate programmes have increased from eight to 16. Additionally, six academic programmes recently underwent reaccreditation, and full accreditation was secured from the National Universities Commission.
“I commend the University Management, Governing Council, and Board of Trustees. The growth we see today is a testament to your hard work and strategic planning. Your commitment has strengthened the foundation of this university,” he said.
Adegunwa highlighted the significant infrastructural advancement that had taken place in the university since its last convocation ceremony in 2023, adding that foundation for four major building was laid and one was already completed and ready for use while two were nearing completion.
He revealed that preparations were underway for the verification of the university’s resources for new programmes in the College of Law and the College of Health Sciences.
“All documentation and agreements have been concluded, and we are hopeful that by the next convocation, both Colleges will be fully operational.
“Also, the university has received approval to operate a Campus FM Radio Station. The notification was received a few days ago. This development will help us reach our community more effectively and position the University as a champion of the knowledge economy.
“It will empower us to combat knowledge, poverty and the rising challenge of misinformation in society,” he added.
At the Convocation ceremony, the University conferred honorary doctorate degrees (Honoris Causa) on Aderemi Muyideen Makanjuola and Lateefat Olufunke Gbajabiamila, as well as a posthumous honorary doctorate degree in Business Administration on the late Tiamiyu Adebisi Olatinwo, among other awardees,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, Prof. Abiodun Musa Aibinu thanked the chancellor for the ongoing Senate Building project, which he said is now 30% completed, he noted that upon completion, the structure would significantly enhance the university’s infrastructure.
The Vice Chancellor announced that a total of 319 students graduated: 26 with first-class honours, 164 with second-class upper division, 108 with second-class lower division, 25 with third-class, and one with a pass.
He assured that the university remains committed to strengthening innovation, research, and development.
Ahead of the 2027 general election, leaders and indigenes of Kwara north based in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have appealed the governorship seat be ceded to the zone.
They claimed their demand was borne out of the need for fairness and justice, as nobody from the zone has governed the state since return to democracy in 1999 while other zones have had the slot.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Baatonu Unity and Development Association Abuja (BUDIA), Alhaji Yusuf Tunku made the appeal in Abuja during the end-of-year dinner of women wing of the association.
The Vice Chairman, Kwara State Council of Traditional Rulers Council, the Etsu Pategi. Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Bologi II and all the traditional rulers in Kwara North recently during a one-day stakeholders meeting in Lafiagi, Patigi Local Government pushed for the zone to produce the next governor of thr North Central state in 2027.
Stressing the need for inclusivity, Tunku argued that the cedeing of the highest political office of the state would not only correct the imbalance in power sharing, it would give the Kwara north senatorial district a sense of belonging, fairness and justice.
He said consultations had already begun as the traditional rulers from the zone met their counterparts in Kwara south last week to garner support for the Zone’s governorship bid.
“In fairness, it should be. Since the inception of the state, we’ve never had that chance at all. Almost all other parts of the state have had their own share of the governorship. We’ve never had it .So, it is not going to be out of place. If, for fairness and justice, this time around, that is, 2027, the power shift goes to the north.”
Disclosing that the zone has begun a statewide campaign for the agitation, Tunku said; “We have started. I think as recent as last week, even our traditional rulers, they moved to consult with the southern Kwara people. They met their traditional rulers last week to plead with them to let this time around. The governorship came to Kwara north. And I think there is this understanding.”
A leading member of the association, Prof. Umar Semo emphasised the need for the zone to be given a chance to govern the state in 2027.
“But politics does not reward silence; nobody will hand it to you unless you show interest. We have come out clearly to say we want the governorship slot.
“Our Emirs have met with traditional rulers in Kwara South to communicate our desire. We want a fair hearing, and we believe this is the right time,” he said.
Semo called for broader understanding across the state, noting that the zone has remained patient despite decades of political exclusion.
“In the spirit of unity, we have always supported others. Kwara Central has had its turn. Kwara South has had its turn. If Kwara North is supported this time, we will be very happy,” he added.
For the president of BUDIA, women wing Aisha Ahmed Oyoru said the association was at the forefront of promoting the culture and socio-economic identity of the people, especially in their clamour for power shift in 2027.
Kwara State recorded 36 per cent growth in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) growth between 2023 and 2024.
Besides, 2025 BudgIT state of states report ranked Kwara as third in sub-national fiscal performance for 2024, Executive Chairman of Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS), Shade Omoniyi, made this known during the grand finale of 2025 KW-IRS tax club quiz competition in Ilorin.
She said: “According to BudgIT’s 2025 State of States Report, Kwara ranked 3rd in subnational fiscal performance in 2024, an outstanding leap from 10th position in 2021 and 4th in 2023.
“The report further highlighted that our state achieved a 36 per cent year-on-year growth in IGR between 2023 and 2024, a testament to the state’s growing economic strength and efficiency in revenue administration.
“Furthermore, Kwara State was ranked fifth among states with the least dependence on federally-distributed revenue, reflecting the state’s strategic fiscal discipline, innovation and sustainable approach to public finance.
“These feats are reflections of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s visionary leadership and prudent management style, which continue to inspire our collective drive for growth and accountability in public service.”
Omoniyi hailed the governor for approving the constitution of Stakeholders Committee for the review and harmonisation of taxes, levies, rates, charges and other revenue, as well as review all relevant state tax laws and regulations.
“This is to align our legal and operational framework with the newly-enacted national tax laws and the proposed taxes and levies (Approved List for Collection) Bill 2025,” she said.
She noted that the governor’s actions reaffirmed his commitment to a fair, transparent and efficient tax system “that not only drives economic growth, but also enhances public trust and compliance.”
Omoniyi said the KW-IRS Tax Club Quiz Competition was an initiative under service’s 5-Es Community Impact Programmes — Enterprise, Energy, Education, Empowerment, and Environment designed to nurture a tax-compliant generation by exposing young minds to the fundamentals of taxation right from secondary school to taxable adulthood.
House of Representatives member, Raheem Olawuyi, has called on traditional rulers, community leaders and residents of Kwara State to remain vigilant and cooperate with security operatives by providing timely and credible information in the face of spate of insecurity in the state.
Olawuyi is representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency.
The lawmaker said the fight against insecurity required collective responsibility.
“Security is everyone’s business. We cannot afford to leave the safety of our communities solely to government agencies. Every citizen must be involved in safeguarding our environment and ensuring peace prevails,” he said.
The lawmaker condemned the recent attack in Idofin Odo-Ashe, Oke-Ero Local Government, describing it as a cowardly act that seeks to disrupt the peace and stability of the community.
He expressed concern about the unfortunate incident and sympathised with the victims, their families and the entire community affected by the attack.
Governor vows to rout invaders, LG begins training of forest guards
The spate of kidnappings and cowardly attacks on lives and property in Kwara State lately is eroding its reputation as state of harmony. Kidnapping incidents, which began as isolated cases in parts of Kwara South some years ago, have now assumed an astonishing dimension.
Initially, the bandits and kidnappers had restricted their activities to the part of the state around Ekiti, Oke-Ero, Ifelodun, Isin and Irepodun local government areas in Kwara South. However, the criminals have extended their tentacles to Patigi and Edu local government areas in Kwara North.
Patigi and Edu are communities on the border between Kwara and Niger states, giving rise to widespread belief that the criminal elements flushed out from Niger State by security agents might have find a new abode in Kwara North forests from where they are now unleashing fear and terror.
Since last year or so, the bandits have become more daring, abducting, killing and maiming scores of innocent people in the state.
About one year ago, some gunmen had invaded the palace of Onikoro of Koro, Ekiti Local Government Area, shooting the monarch, a retired army general, dead. Since then, the area has witnessed series of attacks by bandits and kidnappings accompanied with demands for ransom payment.
The latest in the series was last Sunday’s early morning attacks on Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area where a monarch and 11 vigilance members were gruesomely dispatched into early graves.
The incident occurred less than 24 hours after former Senate President Bukola Saraki lamented the precarious security situation in the state.
Confirming the attack, the spokesperson of Kwara State Police Command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said: “At about 7 am on Sunday, armed men invaded the Ogbayo area of Oke-Ode, shooting sporadically.
“A combined team of police operatives and members of the National Forest Security Service responded swiftly to the scene, where they discovered 12 lifeless bodies of vigilante members, including the Baale of Ogbayo.
“The victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Additionally, four persons who sustained injuries were immediately taken to hospital for treatment, while the deceased were evacuated.
“Prior to this, some bandits had invaded Motokun, a village in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State. The invaders came on 50 motorcycles and attacked the village around 6 am. The operation, it was gathered, lasted for four hours.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said “Matokun village was attacked by bandits on about 50 motorcycles, six people missing, suspected to have been kidnapped.
“A woman suspected to have been hit by a gunshot eventually died from the injuries.”
In a related development, the police chief said bandits killed a police officer in Agboro, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
“The assailants targeted a private company. In the course of the attack, one police officer gallantly lost his life in active service, while properties within the facility were also vandalized.”
Earlier in August, bandits had also allegedly attacked Babanla, also in Ifelodun LGA, killing four persons and carting away goods and wares from the market.
Scores of residents of the agrarian community fled their homes and sought refuge in Amoyo, a community on Ilorin outskirts.
Empathising with his subjects, Babanla’s monarch, Oba Adegboyega Yusuf Alabi, said: “Today, I speak with a heavy heart. On Friday, the 8th of August, our dear Babanla was struck by a cruel attack. Bandits invaded our land, leaving sorrow and destruction behind.
“We lost four precious souls, many hardworking traders lost their goods, shops were looted, hotels were destroyed, and countless youths who depend on their motorcycles for daily bread were stripped of their means of survival.
“These wounds cut deep into the very fabric of our community.
“As the Chief Security Officer of Babanla, I feel the pain of every family that has lost a loved one, every mother who now weeps, every father whose hope has been shaken, every youth whose hope has been dashed, and every household now living in fears.
“Though our efforts have been tireless, I admit with regret that we have not yet been able to fully shield you from these evils. But I assure you, peace will be restored.
“With the approval and support of government, and with the bravery of our hunters, vigilantes and the unyielding resilience of our people, we shall prevail.
“For those kidnapped, let it be known that since day one, necessary steps have been taken. Security operatives and community leaders have worked tirelessly, though for security reasons, details cannot be disclosed here.
“Therefore, I plead with all those invited by security operatives, those interrogated, and those living in fear to come forward with useful information that can aid our fight against insecurity.
“Do not see it as a burden, but as your role in saving our community, and be assured that anyone found guilty of collaborating with criminals will face the full weight of the law.”
The Chairman, Ifelodun Local Government Council, Hadji Femi Yusuf, said as part of activities to surmount the growing challenge of banditry and kidnapping in the area, his administration had employed and trained no fewer than 100 forest guards.
He said: “I call on stakeholders to start praying for our land in these trying times of security instability. I urge them to set aside politics and come together to pray for lasting peace, security and prosperity of Ifelodun Local Government Area and Kwara State as a whole.
“On security, we procured 20 motorcycles to support local security outfits, employed and trained 100 forest guards, enrolled them in the state Health Insurance Scheme.
“We also supplied 50 units of bulletproof vests and provided them with modern security gadgets.
“We institutionalised a non-indigenous registration drive to have accurate data of all residents of the local government.
“While commending the traditional council for their timely collaboration with the state government to chase out non-state actors from our land, we have continued to carry them along in our administration.”
Commenting on the wave of banditry, a security expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, put the blame at the doorstep of the state government.
He said: “The governor should demonstrate a measure of seriousness and political will to root out the criminals.
“This can be done through establishment of military outposts in those hotspots of the bandits and then deploy a joint team of army and air force personnel.
That will instill fear in those cowardly elements and they will flee. They are no match with the military.
“That is my candidate submission.
“As the chief security officer of the state, the buck stops at his table to defend the citizens by liaising with the presidency.
“He should act fast before things get out of hand.”
Disturbed by the sordid development, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has declared that his administration will fight insecurity in the state with all the resources at its disposal.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state, saying that nowhere in the state would be safe for criminal elements, including kidnappers.
The governor, who spoke after a security council meeting, said:
“The Army Headquarters has since relocated the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 2nd Division to Ilorin as part of the renewed efforts to strengthen security operations in the state.
“On Monday night, combined forces of the Army, DSS and Police launched an offensive around Baba Sango, along the Kwara/Kogi border, neutralising about 15 armed bandits.
“The same operation continued on Tuesday. And yesterday night, I presided over the State Security Council meeting at Ahmadu Bello House, Ilorin, to integrate state and federal assets into a single strategy for both Kwara North and South.”
Governor AbdulRazaq assured Kwara residents that his administration would not relent in supporting security agencies to keep every community safe.
“I have assurances of the security forces to smoke out and eliminate the criminals from their hideouts.
“We will fight insecurity with every resource at our disposal. Kwara will not be a hiding place for criminals.
“To any criminal who seeks to destabilise the peace in Kwara, you may run, but you cannot escape justice.
“Kwara belongs to its people, and their peace will be defended,” the governor added.
Already, joint security agents have heightened operations in some of the affected Lgs.
Therefore, the state government has urged residents of the state, especially people around Ekiti, Ifelodun, Isin, Oke Ero, and Irepodun LGAs, to be vigilant and restrict outdoor activities as much as possible in the interim.
The advisory followed heightened operations by combined security forces in border towns in Kogi and Kwara, where kidnappers are believed to have hibernated.
“We urge people to be very vigilant and limit their movements to only very necessary routines. That is to avoid being caught unawares as the kidnappers are fleeing their hideouts.
“We do not want law-abiding citizens to be affected,” according to a statement by the Commissioner for Communications Bolanle Olukoju.
She said the government regrets the temporary inconveniences the limited movement may cause in the nearby areas.
“We commend the security forces for the renewed efforts to route the criminals, and charge them to continue until they are totally neutralised and flushed out of our forests,” she added.
As a result, it was gathered that a notorious kidnapper Maidawa, others have been eliminated during an Isanlu Isin engagement with security forces.
A security source said “communications intercepted from the marauding kidnappers revealed that a notorious kidnapper known as Maidawa and many of his foot soldiers have been eliminated in an encounter with joint security forces around Isanlu-Isin in Kwara State.
“The engagement occurred on September 30 as security forces pressed forward the operation to rout the criminals, according to information intercepted by the state security service.
“The news of Maidawa’s death was broken to other gang members by another wanted kidnapper Baccujo around Igboro-Idofin Road during a conversation with his associates in faraway Marabar Maigora, Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State.
“Security forces, spurred by new calls of the state government for urgent interventions, have ratcheted up the efforts to dislodge the kidnappers who often launch cowardly attacks on civilian populations and abduct people for ransom.
“The operations are phased to cover every area where incidents have been recorded in recent weeks, including Ekiti, Ifelodun, Isin, Edu, and Patigi.”
The parlous security situation has pitted former Senate President Bukola Saraki against Governor AbdulRazaq. Senator Saraki had lashed out at Governor AbdulRazaq for his alleged nonchalant attitude towards the rising insecurity in the state.
But the governor countered, saying the former Kwara State governor did not have any moral grounds to sermonise about insecurity in the state.
Saraki, shortly after the conclusion of the state congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ilorin, said “the theme of the congress showcased Kwara PDP as a platform of responsible, responsive, and compassionate political leaders who will always show empathy for the plight of the people.
“Today, Kwara State is in a precarious state. Our State is being overrun by bandits, kidnappers, and killers who have waged a ceaseless, needless, and careless onslaught on our people.
“Yet, the government in Kwara State and all the people in governance in the state have maintained a posture of apathy, nonchalance, and a carefree attitude.
“The people in government have watched without a clue on how to stop the violence waged against our people by insurgents.
“Every day, the story from Kwara State in the national media is about killings, kidnappings, and the displacement of people from their communities.
“In the last 12 months, about 70 people have been reportedly killed in Kwara North and South while about 50 people have sustained various forms of injury from the assailants.
“Within the same period, about 42 people have been kidnapped. Also, over 25 communities have been sacked as the residents abandoned their homes in the same period.
“Under the present government, Kwara State is becoming a one-town-state as everybody in the northern and southern senatorial zones is converging on Ilorin to escape becoming the next victims of the spate of insecurity.
“It has never been this bad in our state known as the State of Harmony. The state government is living in denial and trying to suppress the facts, figures, and scenarios from coming out.
“They focus on accusing the opposition, which has been alerting the Federal Government and security agencies of the danger that now lurks in our communities, of playing politics with security.
“No responsible citizen or party will play politics with the danger to the lives and livelihood of people.
“But as responsible politicians and political platforms who want to genuinely serve our people, we will not keep quiet. We will continue to alert the national and international communities about the danger that daily confronts our people.
“We will continue to urge the people who can help to come to the rescue of the Kwara people.”
He added: “The spate of killings, kidnappings, and the collapse of the security system in Kwara State is unprecedented.
“We never witnessed anything of this sort since the creation of the state.
“Either during the military era, during the tenure of my predecessors, in my time as governor, or during the period of my immediate successor as elected governors, has this type of terrible occurrence ever happened in Kwara State?
“Why does this government continue to fail the people by folding its arms and being complacent about the security of lives and property?
“It should be noted that this spate of security crises is just festering in Kwara State to the exclusion of its neighbours. Insurgency is no longer a menace in Niger State.
“The state government working with security agencies there has chased the criminals out.
“This is just a reflection of the clueless and lackadaisical government we have in Kwara State.
But Governor AbdulRazaq, through his Special Adviser on Media, Bashir Adigun, described Saraki’s accusation of nonchalance as shameless and false.
Adigun said: “For the avoidance of doubt, Saraki is the least qualified person to speak on security matters in Kwara State.
“Under his political empire, Kwarans lived in fear of cult killings, kidnappings and the notorious reign of terror unleashed by “Good Boys” and political thugs loyal to his dynasty.
“It is laughable that a man whose era institutionalised violence and thuggery now pretends to be a security advocate.
“Instead of offering condolences to victims of criminal attacks, Saraki has chosen to play cheap politics with human lives — a shameful display of insensitivity.
“Must we remind him that insecurity today is a national scourge? Bandits fleeing military bombardments in the North West often spill into North Central states like Kwara.
“This is not peculiar to Kwara and certainly not a result of government indifference. If anything, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has shown more commitment to securing our state than Saraki ever did in his years of political dominance.
“Unlike Saraki, Governor AbdulRazaq is not breeding thugs; he is equipping security agencies with patrol vehicles, gadgets, and logistics.
“He is empowering forest guards, vigilantes, and local hunters to defend our communities.
“He is working hand in hand with the Army, Police, Air Force, and Civil Defence to flush out criminals.
“Only recently, following the Governor’s advocacy, the Army Headquarters has directed the GOC Ibadan to relocate to Kwara to lead operations against the bandits.
“Equally important, the AbdulRazaq administration understands that development is the best antidote to insecurity.
“That is why schools, hospitals, roads, and water projects are springing up across the state. That is why thousands of youths have been employed and empowered.
“These are tangible results Kwarans can see and feel. Saraki should be the last to cry wolf.
“His close ally, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, openly confessed in 2022 that the insecurity Nigeria battles today was worsened by foreign militias imported into the country for elections in 2015 by Saraki’s political camp.
“Today, those same foreigners are terrorizing Nigerians.
“This is the dirty foundation of the problem, and Saraki knows it.
“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq will never play politics with the lives of Kwarans. He will continue to stand with our people, work with security agencies, and invest in the future of our state.
“Saraki’s attempt to rewrite history and feign concern is nothing but a failed propaganda stunt.
Sir: The insecurity in the Southern part of Kwara State in recent time is becoming unbearable with the last despicable incident at Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government in the early hours of Sunday September 28.
Reliable reports suggest that guns were retrieved from local security men under a questionable circumstance a day before. The guns are barely a month old; the town’s security committee acquired and licensed them for community use because of the recent attacks on neighbouring towns and villages.
Behold the hoodlums/bandits struck; killing 15 security men which include the Baale of Agboayo community and several other people were kidnapped. As we speak now, most towns and villages around us are deserted and the people are now taking refuge in Ilorin and Lagos (wherever their relatives are).
The state government is yet to show any concern for the security of lives and property in the whole of Kwara South. The government is more on reaction after every attack than being proactive from available security reports.
Communities like Oke-Ode have resorted to self-help with the empowering of local
vigilante group because the state government seem to be bereft of any idea to deal with these criminal elements.
Most suspected and arrested kidnappers are usually released thereafter. Can you imagine the state commissioner of police releasing a press report saying that “about 40 suspected kidnappers who were seen and arrested riding motor cycles in our forest have all been released after profiling them and finding nothing incriminating on them”.
So riding a bicycle in the forest is now a private expedition with no aim or destination.
What a country and what a double standard on crime and criminality?
It is imperative now for our local and state government to wake up from their slumber and stop their deceptive attitude to the current state of insecurity in Kwara State.
Our people need to be alive to vote as 2027 election seem to be more important to the state government now than securing the lives of our people.
Stop taking us (Igbominas) for granted, you may be making the greatest mistake of
I plead with Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman to leave up to expectation and prove me wrong that elements in his administration are not aiding and abetting criminals in our land.
Posterity and history shall judge the governor in this regard. This is the right time for him to right the wrong. We need to be secured in our land. Enough of bloodshed in our land.
•Chief Kehinde A. Ekunnrin Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
