Those responsible for the recent tragic attack on the Oke-Ode village in the Ifelodun Local Government Area will not evade punishment, according to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who has pledged to expel bandits and kidnappers from the state.
According to reports, gunmen assaulted a traditional chieftain and local vigilantes in the area on Sunday, killing many individuals and instilling dread among the local population.
The governor reiterated his plea for more federal deployment to defend Kwara’s border villages in a statement released on Wednesday by his chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, and claimed to have previously briefed President Bola Tinubu on the incident.
He said that as a result of increased military activity in the state, the Army Headquarters had moved the 2nd Division’s General Officer Commanding (GOC) to Ilorin.
AbdulRazaq revealed that on Monday night, the Army, DSS, and Police units jointly launched a significant operation along the Kwara-Kogi border near Baba Sango.
About 15 armed bandits were killed during an operation by the Army, DSS, and Police on Monday night near Baba Sango, which is located along the Kwara–Kogi boundary. On Tuesday, the identical procedure went on,” he stated.
“Federal and state security assets were integrated into a single strategy for operations across Kwara North and South,” the governor continued, adding that he chaired a State Security Council meeting Tuesday night at Government House, Ilorin.
AbdulRazaq gave locals the assurance that his government will keep supporting security forces and supplying logistics to ensure the safety of people and property.
“The security forces have promised to smoke out and remove the offenders from their hiding places. We will use every available tool to combat insecurity. “Criminals will not hide in Kwara,” he declared.
“Any criminal who seeks to destabilize the peace in Kwara, you may run, but you cannot escape justice,” the governor said, warning criminal organizations operating within the state’s borders. The people of Kwara own it, and their peace will be protected.
According to reports, the Oke-Ode killings have prompted requests for stricter security measures and new anxieties among locals, particularly in border areas where bandits are thought to be conducting operations.
As stakeholders continue to call for long-term solutions to the state’s instability, the administration has given its guarantee.
