The Kwara South Development Forum has raised an alarm over the “abandonment” of residents by the state and federal governments as a surge in targeted killings, kidnappings of traditional rulers, and attacks on churches leave several communities deserted.
The Kwara South Development Forum has issued a scathing indictment of both the Kwara State and Federal governments, accusing authorities of leaving the Kwara South Senatorial District vulnerable to a relentless wave of terrorist activity. In a statement released on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, signed by the Acting Speaker of the forum, Obashola Ayomide Ridwan, the group alleged that several towns have become ghost settlements as residents flee incessant killings and kidnappings. The forum noted that despite persistent appeals for a heightened security presence, the region remains largely unprotected, forcing citizens to face “persistent killings, kidnappings and attacks without adequate protection from security agencies.”
The group highlighted a disturbing pattern of violence specifically targeting traditional rulers, which they claim has created a climate of fear across the district’s local government areas. The statement traced the escalation back to the February 2024 murder of Oba Segun Aremu-Cole, the traditional ruler of Koro town, and cited more recent abductions including that of Oba Bayagan in Ifelodun LGA. “On January 1, 2026, gunmen suspected to be terrorists abducted the Oniwo of Afin, Oba Simeon Olanipek, alongside one of his sons, Olaolu, in the Ile-Ire district of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State,” the statement added. The forum emphasized that the targeting of royal fathers is a calculated attempt by terrorists to dismantle community leadership and morale.
Beyond the attacks on traditional institutions, the forum revealed that religious centers have become the latest targets of the marauding gunmen. According to the group, suspected terrorists recently invaded churches in the Eruku and Omugo communities, abducting worshippers during divine services. This expansion of targets to places of worship has further deepened the humanitarian crisis in the region, with the forum noting that “our traditional rulers have been victims of insecurity in Kwara South.” As the district grapples with these multi-faceted security challenges, the Kwara South Development Forum has called for an immediate and localized security intervention to prevent the total collapse of socio-economic life in the affected communities.
Kwara South Insecurity Timeline (2024–2026)
| Date | Incident | Location / Victim |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2024 | Murder of Traditional Ruler | Oba Segun Aremu-Cole (Koro, Ekiti LGA) |
| Early 2025 | Abduction of Monarch | Oba Bayagan (Ifelodun LGA) |
| Jan 1, 2026 | Abduction of Monarch & Son | Oba Simeon Olanipek & Olaolu (Afin, Ifelodun LGA) |
| Recent 2026 | Church Invasions | Eruku and Omugo Communities |
READ THE FULL STORY IN SAHARA REPORTERS
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