Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has called for more security deployments to the state following renewed attacks on forest guards and residents in Oke Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area.
In a statement on Sunday, the Governor described the incident, which claimed the lives of civilians and forest guards, as a tragic blow to the community and to ongoing efforts to secure the state.
He expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families, praising the fallen guards for their sacrifice.
“My heartfelt condolences go to the families. No word can adequately capture the depth of my sadness and nothing can compensate the bereaved families over these incidents, in spite of our efforts and the investments in enlisting and training the forest guards to bolster the conventional forces. Our people are understandably concerned about the situation, and I wholeheartedly share in this grief,” the Governor said.
Governor AbdulRazaq stressed the need for stronger military presence across Kwara South and Kwara North to contain the criminal activities.
“While we appreciate the efforts and unquantifiable sacrifices of the security forces as well as the successes so far, we definitely need to do a lot more until we are completely out of the wood,” he added.
Appealing for calm among residents, the Governor urged communities not to allow the tragedy to create internal divisions.
“Finally, I urge our brave residents to remain calm and avoid the temptation to turn on ourselves. I equally commend all the forest guards and the local hunters who, though lost five of their compatriots, equally neutralised several of the attackers. We will forever be grateful to all of them as our heroes.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army Headquarters has directed the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Ibadan, to immediately relocate to Kwara to coordinate and strengthen military response in the affected areas.
The governor assured residents that his administration will continue to work with security agencies to restore peace and protect lives.