Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has renewed calls for greater military presence in the state following the deadly attack on Oke-Ode community, Ifelodun Local Government Area, which left at least 15 vigilantes and hunters dead and several villagers abducted.
Naijaonpoint reports that the gunmen, said to be heavily armed, stormed the community in the early hours of Sunday, targeting forest guard posts and surrounding settlements.
Local defenders were reportedly overwhelmed before reinforcements arrived.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor described the incident as a major setback despite the state’s recent investments in security, particularly the recruitment and training of forest guards.
“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,” AbdulRazaq said.
The governor praised the courage of the victims who resisted the attackers, stressing that their sacrifice would not be forgotten.
AbdulRazaq said that while security agencies had recorded some progress in recent months, more troops were urgently needed to tackle the rising insecurity across Kwara South and North.
“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 woods,” he stated.
He further urged residents to remain calm and refrain from reprisals, noting that such actions could exacerbate the crisis.
The governor commended the bravery of the vigilantes and local hunters who confronted the assailants despite losing their lives in the process.
“Finally, I urge our brave residents to remain calm and avoid the temptation to turn on ourselves. 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.
Meanwhile, the Army Headquarters has directed the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, to immediately relocate to Kwara State to coordinate and strengthen the military response to the escalating bandit attacks, Naijaonpoint understands.
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