Alarmed by worsening insecurity, the Senate has urged the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base in Kwara South Senatorial District to restore safety and stability in the region’s troubled forest communities.
This followed the adoption of motion at plenary on Wednesday on urgent need to address insecurity in the local government area.
The motion was sponsored by Sen. Ashiru Oyelola (APC -Kwara South)
Oyelola in his motion expressed concern on the escalating insecurity in Kwara South Senatorial District, saying that bandit attacks, kidnappings and killings had reached alarming levels in recent weeks.
He said this had forced thousands of residents to flee their communities.
According to Oyelola, no fewer than 12 forest guards and local vigilance group members were killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Oke-Ode, including Baale of Ogba-Ayo community and several other traditional and community leaders.
He listed the areas affected to include Babanla, Sagbe, Oro Ago, Ganmu-Alheri, etc in Ifelodun, Isin, Ekiti and Oke Ero Local Government Areas.
He said that 142 persons were also kidnapped and more than 70 killed in the last 12 months across Kwara South, with no fewer than 25 communities deserted due to recurring attacks
This, he said led to severe humanitarian displacement and disruption of social and economic life.
“Farms have been abandoned, roads have become unsafe, local economies are paralysed and schools have closed, thereby worsening poverty and increasing youth vulnerability to crime.”
He alleged that the attacks were largely perpetrated by foreign armed elements in collaboration with local informants, operating from forest hideouts along the Kwara-Kogi-Ekiti boundary axis.
“While the federal government and security agencies had made some interventions, including patrols and raids, the responses remain episodic, inadequate and reactive, leaving vast ungoverned spaces under the control of criminal gangs.
“Disturbed that local security volunteers and vigilance groups who serve as first responders in most cases lacked adequate equipment, mobility, protection, or insurance, yet they continue to sacrifice their lives in defense of their communities.
“Recognise that sustained insecurity in Kwara South, if not urgently addressed, may spread to other parts of the North-Central and South-West geo-political zones, thereby threatening national stability.”
Also, contributing, Sen.Adams Oshomole (APC-Edo), said in spite the presence of a military barrack in his Edo North constituency, kidnappings and banditry had persisted.
He said that the military authorities must be firm to give instructions in tackling criminality, while putting up renewed strategy, describing the insecurity as criminality and not politically motivated.
He, however, commended the security agencies for their efforts.
Sen. Sunday Karimi (APC -Kogi) said that the situation required urgent measures given the constant criminality in his Kogi West District, lamenting that bandits were taken over communities.
Other lawmakers, who expressed concerns over banditry, kidnappings, called for urgent measures to mitigate the issue included Mustapha Salihu (APC-Kwara), Sadiq Umar (APC-Kwara), Garba Maidoki (APC-Kebbi) and the Deputy President of Senate, Barau Jubrin (APC-Kano) among others.
Senate in its resolutions also urged the Chief of Defence Staff and Inspector-General of Police to deploy additional troops and special units to clear the forests and restore normalcy in the affected communities.
It called on NEMA to immediately provide humanitarian reliefs to displaced persons.
The Senate also directed relevant security agencies to identify and prosecute local collaborators aiding bandits’ operations in Kwara South.
The Senate Committees on Defence, Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence were to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas and report back within two weeks.
It also mandated the Senate to invite the Minister of Defence, Chief of Army Staff, and Inspector-General of Police to brief the Senate in plenary on the coordinated federal response to insecurity in Kwara and other areas.
Senate, thereafter, observed a minute of silence in honor of the forest guards, vigilance group members, traditional leaders and innocent citizens who lost their lives to bandit attacks in Kwara south senatorial district.
