Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru, has raised fresh alarm over the rising insecurity in Kwara South, warning that the crisis threatens not only the future of the state but also neighbouring regions and the entire country.

Speaking at a strategic security assessment meeting with stakeholders, Ashiru said the gathering was borne out of his deep concern for the people and his conviction that the prosperity of Kwara State depends heavily on security and stability.

“This meeting is not for empty talk but for action. Today we gather as one family united by a common pain and a common purpose to reclaim the peace, safety, and dignity of Kwara South,” he declared.

Ashiru lamented the toll of banditry, kidnapping, and violent crimes on farming, trade, education, and cultural tourism in the senatorial district.

He noted that insecurity had forced investors to abandon projects, left farmlands fallow, and stalled mining activities.

“These are great losses to our people. If unchecked, the cancer of insecurity could spread southwards and devastate the entire country,” the senator warned.

Outlining practical steps, Ashiru recommended:

Establishing Forward Operating Bases (FoBs) in vulnerable areas;

Providing better equipment and manpower for security agencies;

Reviving the Forest Guard system for bush and farmland surveillance;

Strengthening collaboration between traditional rulers, youth groups, vigilantes, and formal security operatives for improved intelligence gathering.

He also emphasised the importance of land documentation to curb disputes and illegal settlements, as well as empowering locals in mineral exploration to reduce alienation and resentment.

“As we talk about security, we must also talk about prosperity. By engaging our own people in these ventures, we can generate jobs, wealth, and ultimately peace,” Ashiru said.

The lawmaker, who sits on the Senate Committees on Defence and Intelligence, revealed that resolutions from the meeting would be presented at the national level.

“The National Assembly is preparing a national conference on insecurity. But every region has its peculiar history and challenges, and for Kwara South, we must trace and solve our own peculiarities to achieve lasting solutions,” he added.

APC Chair Backs Call For Vigilance

Also speaking, Kwara State APC chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, said insecurity was not peculiar to the district but required collective efforts.

Fagbemi, who noted that some of his relatives had been kidnapped and killed, urged citizens to embrace vigilance and intelligence sharing, warning that local informants were aiding criminals.

“There must be introspection. Our people need to understand that only when there is security can we have development,” he stressed.