A pro-democracy and human rights organization, Kwara Must Change (KMC), has cautioned that insecurity in Kwara State must not be handled in isolation, warning that the violence could spread to neighboring states if left unchecked.
In a statement signed by its State Coordinator, Seko Jibril Gure, the group described the Oke-Ode massacre where 15 people, including vigilantes and a Baale, were killed as “a wake-up call to the Federal Government.”
The group acknowledged the efforts of the Kwara State Government but emphasized that security remains a constitutional responsibility of the Federal Government.
“What is required now is for the Presidency to give Kwara equal attention, by massively deploying troops and providing technical support,” the group stated.
KMC criticized current counter-insurgency methods, noting that merely chasing bandits from one location to another does not equate to success. Instead, it called for a comprehensive national security plan aimed at total elimination of the threat, not piecemeal displacements.
The group stressed that dislodging armed groups without eliminating them only scatters the crisis into multiple areas, worsening the situation.
According to KMC, the Oke-Ode killings are not an isolated tragedy but a sign of looming escalation. If not tackled urgently, terrorists could entrench themselves in Kwara and extend operations into Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, and beyond.
KMC urged the Federal Government to:
Deploy more troops and resources to Kwara.
Launch intelligence-driven offensives against bandits.
Establish intervention programs to stabilize affected communities.
The group concluded with a warning:
“The Presidency must adopt a national security strategy focused on elimination, not displacement, of armed groups.”
