Residents of Ahun-Igbomina in the Oro-Ago District of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State have appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other elected officials to urgently address the worsening insecurity that has forced many families to flee their homes.
The community is demanding immediate military intervention to restore peace, enable displaced residents to return home, and establish a permanent security presence in the area.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued by the Ahun Community Development Union (ACDU) and signed by its President, Prof. N.J. Bello, following months of repeated attacks by suspected bandits.
According to the union, persistent kidnappings and violent attacks have left the community deserted for nearly five months, with residents abandoning their ancestral homes out of fear.
The statement revealed that families have paid more than ₦7 million in ransom to secure the release of abducted relatives, leaving many victims financially devastated.
It added that displaced residents are currently taking refuge in overcrowded temporary shelters in neighbouring communities, where poor living conditions and malnutrition have reportedly claimed several lives.
The union attributed the community’s vulnerability to its location, noting that Ahun-Igbomina shares porous borders with Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State as well as Edu and Oke-Ero Local Government Areas of Kwara State.
It explained that the area is surrounded by dense forests, which bandits allegedly use as hideouts and escape routes, making security operations more challenging.
The community also expressed disappointment over what it described as the silence of elected representatives despite the prolonged security crisis.
The union accused the Executive Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government, members representing the area in the Kwara State House of Assembly and the House of Representatives, as well as the Senator representing Kwara South, of failing to take meaningful action to protect residents.
To tackle the insecurity permanently, the community urged the Kwara State Government and security agencies to establish a fully equipped permanent security base in Ahun-Igbomina.
The residents also called for the deployment of heavily armed security personnel to work closely with local hunters and vigilante groups to reclaim the area from bandits and ensure the safe return of displaced families.
