…Says, chasing bandits from one location to another is not a success.

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

A pro-democracy and human rights advocacy group, Kwara Must Change (KMC) has said that the recent killings in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, must not be treated in isolation, warning that insecurity in the state could easily spill over into neighboring Osun, Ekiti and Oyo States if not decisively addressed.

It particularly noted that situation in Kwara North, especially Edu, Patigi and other places where there have been several unreported cases of killings and abductions also need more attention.

The group, in a statement through the State Coordinator Seko Jibril Gure made available to journalists on Thursday described the recent Oke-Ode massacre, where 15 people, including vigilantes and a Baale, were murdered and several others abducted, as a wake up call to the Federal Government on the urgent need for a coordinated national response.

KMC noted that Ifelodun, the largest local government in Kwara South and one of the largest in Kwara, shares boundaries with three local governments in Ilorin, the state capital, making the capital city highly vulnerable to infiltration if insecurity in the south is not curtailed.

“The Kwara State Government has done all within its power to address this crisis, but security is ultimately a constitutional duty of the Federal Government.

“What is left undone is for the Presidency to give Kwara equal attention, through massive troop deployment and technical support,” KMC stated.

The group further cautioned that dislodging armed groups without eliminating them only multiplies the crisis across multiple locations.

“Chasing bandits from one location to another does not amount to success. Only a comprehensive national plan can eliminate the security threat, not piecemeal responses,” it said.

Kwara Must Change warned that if the Federal Government fails to act urgently, the Oke-Ode killings could mark the beginning of a wider regional escalation.

“The tragedy is not an isolated event but a signal of impending escalation. Unless decisive action is taken, terrorists will entrench themselves in Kwara and spread to Osun, Ekiti, Oyo and beyond, with devastating consequences,” KMC declared.

KMC therefore called on the Federal Government to take the measures below:

*Deploy additional forces to Kwara State and other vulnerable areas as requested by the state government.

• Launch a coordinated intelligence driven national operation against terrorist and bandit networks.

*Establish a federal intervention programme to stabilize affected communities.

*Adopt a national security strategy that focuses on elimination of armed groups, not displacement.