Fear grips communities as villagers flee attacks, schools shut, and locals demand urgent action from Tinubu, AbdulRazaq

Tension is mounting in Kwara State as angry residents flood the streets in protest against the deepening wave of insecurity ravaging several communities.

Demonstrators, largely from Kwara South, voiced outrage over what they described as relentless killings, kidnappings, and forced displacement, warning that armed groups are steadily tightening their grip on rural areas. Many said entire villages have been overrun and abandoned, leaving families displaced and vulnerable amid a surge in ransom-driven abductions.

The protesters also lamented the collapse of local vigilante networks, once a critical line of defence, saying their weakening has further exposed communities to attacks.

Chanting and carrying placards, the residents called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to act swiftly by reinforcing security presence, equipping local defence groups, and restoring order across affected regions.

Several participants described life in their communities as unbearable, with fear now a daily reality. Schools have been shut, businesses disrupted, and normal life brought to a standstill in many areas.

The protest underscores rising public anger in Kwara, as citizens intensify demands for decisive government intervention to halt the violence and safeguard lives and property.