- Prominent elders and stakeholders under the Kwara North Development Commission have raised the alarm over a devastating spike in banditry, alleging that more than 1,200 residents have been killed since 2023.
- Persistent attacks across multiple local government areas have forced farmers to abandon their lands, severely grounding agricultural productivity and causing farm produce to waste away.
- The group cautioned that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) faces a sharp decline in regional support ahead of the 2027 general elections if the Federal Government fails to restore order.
Elders and key stakeholders from the Kwara North Senatorial District, operating under the aegis of the Kwara North Development Commission, have accused the federal administration of failing to curb the rising tide of terrorism and banditry within their region.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a damning joint statement released on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, the group disclosed that over 1,200 residents have lost their lives to armed bandits since President Bola Tinubu took office in 2023.
EDITOR’S PICK
- Fresh Details Emerge on Death of Odomola Monarch, Oba Adebowale Adeshina
- Sanwo-Olu Applauds LASU’s Academic Excellence After JAMB Ranking
- NRC Moves 176,820 Tonnes Of Cargo Through Lagos Ports In Q1
Co-signed by the commission’s National President, Alhaji Abdullahi Manzuma, and its Publicity Secretary, Hajia Zainab Seko, the statement painted a grim picture of a near-total collapse of security across various vulnerable communities.
The targeted violence has heavily impacted towns and villages spread across Baruten, Kaiama, Edu, Patigi, and Moro Local Government Areas. According to the stakeholders, armed syndicates have sacked entire communities, leaving thousands internally displaced and holding numerous citizens captive.
The psychological toll of the crisis has escalated to unprecedented levels, with the elders noting that fear of highway attacks has actively discouraged diaspora indigenes from returning home during recent festive celebrations.
They maintained that the region, historically regarded as a peace-loving, agrarian society, does not deserve the level of federal neglect it is currently enduring.
The security collapse has also dealt a catastrophic blow to the local economy. Known as the food basket of Kwara State, the district has experienced a massive decline in agricultural output because farmers can no longer safely access their lands.
Simultaneously, external traders and buyers are avoiding the region entirely out of safety concerns, leaving harvested farm products to rot away.
While the commission acknowledged the ongoing counter-measures deployed by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration, they stressed that the ultimate responsibility lies with the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, urging a national emergency response.
Looking ahead, the commission issued a stark political warning regarding the 2027 general elections, asserting that continuous insecurity will directly hurt the ruling party’s fortunes.
The elders argued that it would be virtually impossible to campaign or mobilize votes among communities under constant siege, where mothers are grieving lost children and fathers have lost their livelihoods.
They directly appealed to President Tinubu to deploy extra military personnel and intelligence resources to the zone to secure lives, salvage the agricultural sector, and protect national food security.
