There was tension in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Monday, as enraged youths staged a protest over rising insecurity, banditry.
Naijaonpoint reports that the demonstrators, made up mostly of local youths, took to the streets in the early hours of the day to register their frustration over repeated terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and killings that have plagued the region in recent weeks.
The protest, which soon turned violent, saw the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) office in Lafiagi set ablaze. The protesters also stormed the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, where they vandalised several windows and parts of the building.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, a resident said the protest was long overdue, citing unbearable levels of fear and insecurity.
“We have been crying and dying in silence. People are being kidnapped every week. We don’t sleep with our two eyes closed anymore, and nobody, not the governor, not the chairman, not even the Emir, is doing anything about it,” the resident said.
Another source described the protest as a response to months of bottled-up anger over the state government’s alleged silence.
He said, “The youths are tired, and no tangible actions are coming from the government. Our chairman and the governor are not willing to help us.
“The attacks are getting more intense. That is why the youth protested today. They went to the Emir’s palace and security agency offices. The NDLEA office was torched.”
The protest comes on the heels of multiple abductions in Lafiagi and surrounding communities. In the last 48 hours alone, three residents were reportedly kidnapped in separate attacks.
The latest victims include a popular Point of Sale (POS) agent, identified simply as Yman, who was abducted Sunday night in Lafiagi town. In the early hours of Monday, two Hausa men were taken during a violent raid on Kokodo village, with a young girl narrowly escaping after fleeing into the bush.
“The attacks are becoming too rampant. The POS guy was kidnapped on Sunday evening. This morning, the two other people, who are Hausa, were also kidnapped,” a community member disclosed.
He added that while vigilante groups and security operatives have been notified and have launched search operations, no contact had yet been established with the kidnappers.