Kwara South Burns as Residents Cry Out Over Terror Takeover

Breaking News, Kwara State, National Security, Nigeria

Kwara South Burns as Residents Cry Out Over Terror Takeover

Kwara South is no longer speaking in whispers. It is sounding the alarm. Villages have been emptied, vigilante commanders allegedly picked off one by one, and ransom has become the grim price of survival. Now residents are forcing Abuja and Ilorin to confront a question they have tried too long to dodge: who really controls…

Atlantic Post

April 24, 2026

3–5 minutes

Protesters say armed groups have overrun Yoruba communities, killed vigilantes, emptied villages and turned ransom into a way of life. They are now demanding emergency action from Tinubu and AbdulRazaq.

Kwara South has erupted in anger, grief and open fear as residents took to the streets to protest what they described as a violent takeover of Yoruba communities by armed groups.

Under the banner of the Kwara South Development Forum, protesters accused the attackers of unleashing killings, kidnappings and mass displacement across the district, leaving several communities deserted and ordinary people abandoned to their fate.

Their message was blunt. Enough is enough.

They called on President Bola Tinubu and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to move swiftly before the crisis slips completely out of control. According to the protesters, the situation has gone beyond isolated attacks and now resembles a creeping occupation of indigenous communities.

Convener of the forum, Obashola Ayomide Ridwan, said the violence has become so severe that local vigilante commanders were allegedly picked out by informants and hunted down one after another.

“Our local vigilante commanders were identified by informants, and the terrorists went after each of them and killed them one by one. After eliminating these commanders, they took over our communities, killing and kidnapping innocent people,” he said.

His words reflected the mood of the protest. Fear. Frustration. And a deep sense that the authorities have not done enough.

Ridwan said the violence has torn families apart and shattered daily life across Kwara South. He alleged that mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers have been killed or abducted, while schools have been forced shut in some areas.

“Our mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers have been killed and kidnapped, while our schools have been shut down in Kwara South. We are demonstrating today to express our concerns to President Tinubu and Governor AbdulRazaq to empower the local vigilantes and other security agencies to end the kidnapping and killings in Kwara South,” he said.

The protest also laid bare the human cost of the crisis.

Adebisi Jimoh, one of the female protesters, said her own community, Babanla, has effectively been emptied by repeated attacks. She said families have been forced to pay ransom and many residents have fled their homes in fear.

“Our community has become deserted. Our family members have been kidnapped, and we had to raise ransom to secure their release. Many of us have been chased out of our homes,” she said.

Another resident, Sodiq Amidu, fought back tears as he described how two of his close associates were abducted and later freed only after heavy ransom payments.

He said Abdullah Issa paid N10 million while Yusuf Ibrahim paid N5 million before regaining freedom.

“They were lucky to come back alive. Many others are not that fortunate,” he said.

Activist Aleshinloye Saheed said the attackers were able to tighten their grip after local resistance was weakened. He claimed that once the vigilante commanders were eliminated, whole communities became exposed and vulnerable.

“Our brave vigilante commanders have been killed, and our people have become vulnerable. Communities in Kwara South have been deserted as a result,” he said.

He demanded what he called concerted action from both federal and state authorities.

“We are calling on President Bola Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to take decisive and coordinated action over the incessant insecurity in Kwara South,” Saheed said.

Another protester, Ishola Kwara, urged traditional rulers not to remain silent. He also appealed to the state government to respond with greater urgency, saying residents are tired of what they see as weak or delayed intervention.

The protest underlined a growing reality that many communities in Kwara South say can no longer be ignored. Villages have reportedly been abandoned. Vigilante leaders have allegedly been targeted. Residents say ransom has become routine. And the fear in the area has now spilled from the bushes into the streets.

What the protesters are demanding is not complicated. They want stronger security presence, better intelligence, immediate support for local vigilantes and a coordinated response from Abuja and Ilorin.

They also want traditional rulers, political leaders and security chiefs to act together before more communities are emptied out.

For the people of Kwara South, the protest was more than a public outcry. It was a warning.

Without urgent action, they say, more Yoruba communities may fall deeper into lawlessness, displacement and silence.