The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently establish a permanent military base in Kwara South Senatorial District, following a surge in kidnappings and deadly attacks by armed bandits in the area.
The lawmakers specifically proposed that the base be located near the forest belts of Ifelodun Local Government Area, describing it as a strategic hub for rapid response operations across the district’s flashpoints.
The resolution came after Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) sponsored a motion on the worsening insecurity in the region, lamenting the wave of killings, abductions, and displacement of rural communities.
According to Ashiru, over the past month alone, at least 12 forest guards and local vigilantes were ambushed and killed by armed bandits in Oke-Ode. Among the victims, he said, were traditional rulers and community leaders from Ogba-Ayo, Babanla, Sagbe, Oro Ago, and Ganmu-Alheri communities.
He further revealed that within a year, no fewer than 142 residents had been kidnapped, over 70 persons killed, and 25 communities deserted due to repeated raids, creating a growing humanitarian crisis in Kwara South.
Disturbed by the figures, the Senate urged the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police to deploy additional troops and special units to comb the forests, flush out criminal hideouts, and restore normalcy in the affected areas.
Fear and Tension Grip Communities
Security tensions in Kwara have intensified in recent months. In August, gunmen invaded Babanla community in Ifelodun LGA, killing five people, including a police officer identified as Adejumo Wasiu.
Barely weeks later, on October 2, another police officer, Ezra John, was abducted along the Patigi–Lade road while returning from duty at the Patigi General Hospital. The route has since gained notoriety for frequent ambushes and violent attacks.
Government Reacts
Reacting to the Senate’s concerns, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq reiterated his administration’s commitment to securing lives and property across the state, assuring residents that the government would not allow criminal gangs to overrun any part of Kwara.
“Kwara will not be a hiding place for criminals,” the governor said after a security council meeting. “I have assurances from the security agencies to smoke out and eliminate these threats. To anyone seeking to destabilise the peace in our state — you may run, but you cannot escape justice.”
The renewed call for a military base comes as residents of Kwara South continue to live in fear, with many communities calling for urgent federal intervention before the crisis deepens further.
