Kwara Governor Demands More Troops After Deadly Oke Ode Attack‎

Kwara Governor Demands More Troops After Deadly Oke Ode Attack‎

By Abiola Adigun
Albarka 89.9 FM

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has called for urgent reinforcement of military deployments across the state following Sunday’s deadly attack by armed gangs on Oke Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area.
In the early morning assault, gunmen launched coordinated strikes on the positions of forest guards and nearby communities, leaving residents and security personnel dead. At least five members of the state’s forest guard corps were killed while resisting the attackers, though several of the bandits were also neutralised in the gun battle.
Governor AbdulRazaq, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, describing the fallen guards and civilians as heroes who paid the supreme price out of patriotism and love for their communities.
“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.
The Governor acknowledged the sacrifices of security agencies but insisted that more deployments were needed to “roll back the activities of the criminals” terrorising parts of Kwara South and Kwara North. He urged residents not to succumb to fear or turn against each other, warning that such divisions could play into the hands of the attackers.
The Nigerian Army has meanwhile ordered the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Ibadan, to relocate temporarily to Kwara to strengthen operations and coordinate the military response.
Kwara State has witnessed a surge in violent crimes in recent months, particularly in the forests and border communities of Kwara South and Kwara North. Armed groups, often described by locals as bandits, have staged kidnappings, ambushes, and raids on rural settlements. Security agencies, supported by the newly recruited forest guards and local hunters, have been battling to check the menace, but attacks have persisted.
The AbdulRazaq administration had established the forest guard service to complement the police, army, and other agencies. Despite these efforts, renewed assaults have left residents anxious over safety, fuelling calls for stronger federal intervention.