The Senate has summoned the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to appear before it over the worsening insecurity in Kwara South Senatorial District.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Ashiru Oyelola Yisa, representing Kwara South, who lamented the growing wave of killings, kidnappings, and attacks on communities in the region.
Senator Ashiru informed the chamber that within the last twelve months, over 70 people have been killed, 142 kidnapped, and more than 25 communities deserted due to sustained attacks by bandits and gunmen operating from forest hideouts. He cited the recent killing of 12 forest guards and the Baale (village head) of Ogba-Ayo community in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, as evidence of the deteriorating security situation.
Following the presentation, the Senate unanimously adopted several resolutions, including a call for the establishment of a permanent military base in the forest belts of Ifelodun LGA to serve as a rapid-response hub to counter insurgents and kidnappers. The lawmakers also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to displaced residents and urged the federal government to compensate families of vigilantes and forest guards who lost their lives defending their communities.
Additionally, the upper chamber mandated its Committees on Defence, Police Affairs, and National Security and Intelligence to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas and report back within two weeks. The Senate further asked security agencies to identify and prosecute local collaborators aiding criminal networks in the region.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, commiserated with the people of Kwara South and emphasized that the Senate would not rest until peace is restored. “We cannot continue to fold our arms while citizens are being slaughtered and villages deserted. This Senate will hold those responsible for securing Nigerians fully accountable,” Akpabio said.
Recent attacks in Kwara South have left several communities in fear, with reports indicating that villages such as Babanla, Oro Ago, and Ganmu-Alheri have witnessed repeated assaults. In one of the most recent incidents, gunmen ambushed local security personnel in Oke-Ode, killing 12 forest guards and leaving others injured.
The Senate’s decision marks a renewed push for coordinated federal intervention, amid calls from stakeholders and residents for stronger military presence and intelligence-driven operations to dismantle criminal enclaves in the region.