The Senate yesterday called on the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base in Kwara South Senatorial District, to curb rising spate of killings and abductions in the state.
The red chamber said the military base should be sited near the forest belts of Ifelodun Local Government as a rapid response hub and a call to “mandate the Chief of Defence Staff and Inspector-General of Police to deploy additional troops and special units to clear the forests and restore normalcy in affected communities.”
The Senate also called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide humanitarian relief for displaced persons in Ifelodun and other affected councils.
It further urged the Federal Government to compensate families of fallen forest guards and vigilantes, who died defending their communities.
The Senate directed relevant security agencies to identify and prosecute local collaborators aiding bandits’ operations in Kwara South.
It mandated its committees on Defence, Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of affected areas and report back within two weeks.
The Senate also resolved to invite the Minister of Defence, Chief of Army Staff and Inspector-General of Police to brief it in plenary on the coordinated federal response to insecurity in Kwara South.
It observed one minute of silence in honour of the forest guards, vigilantes, traditional leaders and innocent citizens who died in the bandit attacks in Kwara South Senatorial District.
These resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration and adoption of a motion titled: ‘Urgent need to address insecurity in Kwara South Senatorial District, particularly Ifelodun Local Government Area – Call for immediate and comprehensive federal intervention’, during plenary.
The motion was moved by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Ashiru (APC – Kwara South).
Senator Ashiru in his lead debate said the Senate had noted with grave concern, the escalating insecurity in Kwara South, especially in Ifelodun Local Government, “where bandit attacks, kidnappings and killings have reached alarming levels in recent weeks, forcing thousands of residents to flee their communities.”
He said within the last month, no fewer than 12 forest guards and local vigilance group members were killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Oke-Ode, including the Baale of Ogba-Ayo community.
Senator Ashiru said several other traditional and community leaders were among those killed in separate incidents in Babanla, Sagbe, Oro Ago, Ganmu-Alheri, etc, in Ifelodun, Isin, Ekiti and Oke Ero local governments.
He said the Senate was worried that at least 142 persons had been kidnapped and over 70 killed in the last 12 months across Kwara South, “with no fewer than 25 communities deserted due to recurring attacks—leading to severe humanitarian displacement and disruption of social and economic life.”
The senator said: “Farms have been abandoned, roads have become unsafe, local economies are paralysed, and schools have closed, thereby worsening poverty and increasing youth vulnerability to crime.”
He said the Senate was aware that the attacks were largely perpetrated by “foreign armed elements in collaboration with local informants, operating from forest hideouts along Kwara-Kogi-Ekiti boundary axis.”
While the Federal Government and security agencies have made some interventions, including sporadic patrols and raids, he lamented that the responses “remain episodic, inadequate and reactive, leaving vast ungoverned spaces under the control of criminal gangs.”
He expressed worry that local security volunteers and vigilantes – who serve as first responders in most cases – “lack adequate equipment, mobility, protection, or insurance, yet they continue to sacrifice their lives in defence of their communities.”
He said the red chamber had recognised that “sustained insecurity in Kwara South, if not urgently addressed, may spread to other parts of the Northcentral and Southwest geopolitical zones, thereby threatening national stability.”
Some senators in their contributions supported the motion.
Senator Sunday Karimi, APC- Kogi West, who noted that communities had been overrun by bandits, forcing residents to abandon their homes, said: “In the last six months, our people have been attacked everyday. Some people are benefitting from this criminality. We have to move fast and stop them. Our people are suffering and we must act urgently.”
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC- Edo North, who noted that security crisis in one region should concern the entire nation, said: “Injury to one is injury to all. These criminals are moving down South, and they have reached Edo North.
“Each day a Nigerian is kidnapped, especially near military facilities. Nigerians have lost confidence. The armed forces must re-strategise and work harder.”
Senator Ekong Sampson (APC –
Akwa Ibom South) called for a collective approach to curb insecurity.
“We salute the bold efforts of our armed forces, but security is everyone’s concern. If we strengthen our grassroots structures, there’s a pathway to defeat these criminals,” Sampson said.
Senator Saliu Mustapha, (APC – Kwara Central) warned against politicising the security crisis.
“We must not play politics with this. The security agencies and the President are doing their best. Our role is to find practical solutions,” Mustapha said.
Also Senator Sadiq Sulaiman Umar (APC – Kwara North) warned that the attacks were spreading into Kwara from border communities
He said: “The key tool we have as lawmakers is our legislative oversight. We need to bite harder and pay attention to these issues to bring this to an end.”
