Gov AbdulRazaq Seeks More Security Deployment After Sunday Killings in Kwara
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has called for increased security deployments to the state following Sunday’s deadly attacks in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, which left several forest guards and residents dead.
In a statement on Sunday made available to the Punch and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor described the incident as “unfortunate,” stressing that the state requires more military support to roll back the activities of criminals in parts of Kwara South and North.
He expressed deep sorrow over the killings, noting that the forest guards and hunters had put up a spirited resistance against the bandits out of patriotism and love for their communities.
“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 statement read.
The governor acknowledged public concerns about rising insecurity and assured residents of his administration’s commitment to working with federal security agencies to restore peace.
“While we appreciate the efforts and unquantifiable sacrifices of the security forces as well as the successes so far, we definitely need to do a lot more until we are completely out of the wood,” he added.
AbdulRazaq urged residents to remain calm and resist any temptation to turn against one another, praising the courage of the local security operatives who confronted the attackers.
“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 said.
Sunday’s attack in Oke-Ode and Tsaraji in Ifelodun and Edu LGA respectively is the latest in a series of violent raids across Kwara communities, where vigilantes, hunters, and residents have repeatedly come under siege from suspected bandits.
