Fear In Kwara: Governor Demands More Troops As Bandits Strike Oke-Ode

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has once again appealed for increased military presence in the state following a brutal attack on Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area, where at least 15 vigilantes and hunters were killed and several villagers abducted.

According to reports, heavily armed gunmen stormed the area in the early hours of Sunday, targeting forest guard posts and nearby settlements. Local defenders, including hunters and vigilantes, were said to have been overwhelmed before reinforcements could arrive.

In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, Governor AbdulRazaq described the incident as a tragic setback despite recent investments in security, particularly the recruitment and training of forest guards to support conventional forces.

“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,” the governor said.

He praised the courage of the victims who stood up to the attackers, emphasizing that their sacrifice would be remembered. AbdulRazaq also noted that while security agencies had made notable progress in recent months, more troops were urgently needed to address the growing wave of 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.

The governor further urged residents to remain calm and avoid reprisals, warning that such actions could worsen the crisis. He also commended the bravery of the forest guards and local hunters who fought back, neutralizing some of the attackers despite suffering heavy casualties.

“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 added.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has directed the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Ibadan, to immediately relocate to Kwara State to coordinate and strengthen the military response to the escalating bandit attacks.