A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu, has called for stronger community-based security structures to address the worsening insecurity in parts of Kwara South.
Shittu made the call on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“We need to strengthen community-based protection if we want to address this problem, particularly in Kwara South,” he said.
He added that community leaders, vigilante groups, and other local security structures must be empowered.
“The community itself must strengthen its capacity to solve these problems. They cannot rely solely on the efforts of the state government alone.”
Shittu said insecurity in the area persists largely because border communities remain exposed.
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According to him, “our borders around Kwara South and other communities in that area are porous, which allows the influx of weapons and armed bandits into these areas without checks.”
He explained that the situation demands a more active security role from local communities, noting that relying solely on the state government will not solve the problem.
Shittu also observed that the security agencies appear overstretched, pointing to manpower and resource gaps.
“The security agencies appear to be overwhelmed by inadequate support and staffing of the security agents,” he said.
He recalled the response of the Kwara State Government following recent attacks in Kwara South.
“Remember in the case of the Kwara South situation, when it happened, the state governor had to convene state security meetings where the stakeholders, traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and some other critical stakeholders in the security architecture assembled,” he stated.
The senior lawyer stressed that lasting security requires full local participation.
“If you want to address what is going on here, at the level of the community, security has to be beefed up, and you have to involve everybody in the process,” he said.
He added that traditional rulers, local government chairmen of these areas, including local vigilante groups, ought to be mobilized to take the issue of security seriously and not leave it solely in the hands of the state or federal government.
Abductions
Kwara State has witnessed a surge in banditry in recent weeks, with two major kidnapping incidents occurring within just one week.
On Tuesday last week, gunmen targeted a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) branch in Eruku, abducting 38 members, with several others reportedly killed.
Eyewitnesses in the community told Channels Television that the attackers stormed the area “suddenly and heavily armed,” forcing many residents to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
The bandits had demanded ₦3 billion for the release of the victims, but later reduced the ransom to ₦760 million.
A few days after the Eruku attack, bandits struck the Isapa community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of the same Kwara State, abducting 11 residents.
The gunmen, numbering more than 20, stormed the community on Monday with a large herd of cattle, firing shots indiscriminately. An elderly woman was reportedly hit by a stray bullet during the attack.
A community leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said seven of the abducted individuals belong to the same family. The victims include a pregnant woman, two nursing mothers, and several young children.
Eruku victims’ release
On Monday, Kwara State Government announced the release of the 38 worshippers who were abducted by bandits from the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the worshippers were released on Sunday.
The statement, however, did not disclose how the abductees regained their freedom.
“After many days of hard work by security forces and government representatives, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is excited to announce the freedom of 38 persons who were recently abducted in an attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Eruku, Ekiti LGA, Kwara State,” it partly read.
The state government attributed the rescue of the victims to the “hands-on approach” of President Bola Tinubu, who, it said, “personally led the efforts” to free the abductees.
The statement, however, did not disclose how the abductees regained their freedom.
“After many days of hard work by security forces and government representatives, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is excited to announce the freedom of 38 persons who were recently abducted in an attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Eruku, Ekiti LGA, Kwara State,” it partly read.
The state government attributed the rescue of the victims to the “hands-on approach” of President Bola Tinubu, who, it said, “personally led the efforts” to free the abductees.
