Ilorin-Kwara State is currently grappling with a surge in violent crime as intensified joint military efforts have resulted in the elimination of a feared kidnap syndicate leader, Maidawa, along with several of his accomplices.
Despite this significant development, the security situation worsened yesterday with the kidnapping of a police officer, prompting warnings from civil society groups about the potential for the unrest to extend into neighboring states if not swiftly addressed.
According to a statement issued by Rafiu Ajakaiye, Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Maidawa-who had been a source of terror across Kwara and parts of Kogi State-was neutralized in an airstrike conducted by the Nigerian Air Force in the dense forests near Isanlu-Isin.
Intelligence gathered by security agencies confirmed Maidawa’s demise through intercepted communications involving his close associate, a notorious kidnapper named Baccujo, who was heard discussing the loss with collaborators as far away as Katsina State.
The statement further explained that the intensified military campaign was launched in response to the brutal attack last Sunday in Oke-Ode, where at least 11 forest guards and local residents lost their lives. The operations target criminal hideouts within Ifelodun, Ekiti, Isin, Edu, and Patigi Local Government Areas.
“Prompted by urgent appeals from the state leadership, security forces have escalated their efforts to dismantle the kidnappers’ networks, who frequently perpetrate violent raids on civilians and abduct individuals for ransom,” the release noted.
However, the situation took a darker turn when armed bandits abducted Ezra John, a police officer stationed at the Lade Division in Patigi Local Government Area. He was seized on the Patigi-Lade highway while returning from duty at Patigi General Hospital, a route increasingly plagued by criminal ambushes.
A senior security official confirmed the abduction and assured that rescue operations are underway. Police Commissioner Adekimi Ojo was unavailable for comment as he accompanied the governor on a condolence visit to Oke-Ode following the recent attacks.
In the midst of these challenges, the pro-democracy organization Kwara Must Change (KMC) issued a statement urging that the crisis be seen as part of a broader security threat. Seko Jibril Gure, the group’s state coordinator, emphasized that the Oke-Ode massacre-which claimed 15 lives, including vigilantes and a community leader-should serve as a critical alert to the Federal Government.
KMC warned that if the violence remains unchecked, it risks spreading beyond Kwara into Osun, Ekiti, and Oyo States. “While the Kwara State Government has exerted considerable effort to manage this crisis, ultimate responsibility for security lies with the Federal Government,” the statement asserted. “Merely displacing bandits from one area to another does not constitute a solution. A coordinated national strategy is essential to eradicate this menace.”
The group called on the Presidency to deploy additional military personnel, initiate intelligence-led nationwide operations, and establish a federal intervention framework to restore peace in affected communities. “Without decisive and comprehensive action,” KMC warned, “terrorist elements will entrench themselves in Kwara and expand their influence across the Southwest, with catastrophic consequences.”