By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The Kwara State government was at the weekend advised to urgently commence efforts towards proctive measures aimed at arresting the seeming prevalence of kidnapping by suspected bandits in the state.
Opinion moulders, including politicians and former service men, who spoke to this reporter in Ilorin, the state capital, said it is no longer news that suspected bandits had infiltrated the state and wrecking havocs by kidnapping, forcing ransoms on the people and killing their victims where such ransoms were not urgently paid.
Mallam Abubakar Sanni who spoke with this journalist said, “If Iba Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Youruba land who was in the state at weekend could say kidnapping and banditry had shifted to Kwara and Kogi states, then there is trouble in the air.”
Also, a former service man who preferred anonimity said that any former service personnel would be sincere enough to say that the government needed to act fast in Kwara State to tackle the build-up unsafe environment, courtesy of the growing threats by suspected bandits.
Others who also spoke, but still preferred anonymity, pleaded that the state governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who they described as “a man of peace,” to do something as quickly as possible; saying that the presence of strange Fulani herdsmen in virtuall every part of the state is fast becoming worrisome.
Recall that Aare Adams had raised the alarm that bandits and kidnappers have relocated to Kwara and Kogi states respectively, noting that the spate of insecurity in the two states was “becoming disheartening and alarming.”
The Aare Ona Kankanfo was speaking at the 2021 edition of ‘Oya Festival’ in Ira, Kwara State, where he decried the increasing rate of kidnapping in the state, pointing out that “reports at our disposal indicated that some criminal elements have relocated to the state.”
He, however, urged Governor AbdulRasak to create a state security outfit that could help in combating the growing influx of bandits and kidnappers into the two states particularly, Kwara.
Iba Adams said, “Governor AbdulRasak needs to provide adequate security for the people of the state as well as the visitors.
“The report that some of the bad elements, including bandits and kidnappers, have relocated to Kwara and Kogi states is alarming; the Kwara State government needs to improve on the security situation in the state by using the Amotekun structure to combat the growing spate of insecurity in the state.
“The success recorded in securing the South-West through Amotekun is encouraging, and the security initiative is yielding positive outcome.”
Speaking on the annual Oya Festival, initiated by him at Ira, in Oyun Local Government Area of the state Adams said, “Oya is one of the ancestors of Yoruba and a model for women.”
He added that the governor needs to explore the tourism potentials of the state, as well to boost the internal revenue generation of the state and create enabling environment for employment generation through tourism.
He added, “There are over 84 tourist sites in Kwara State. These are places of interest for tourists and the people of the state. In Kwara State, there is the popular Esie Museum, Asa Dam, Owu Waterfalls, Sobi Hill, Jebba and Okuta Ilorin, among others.
“It is the responsibility of the Kwara State government to explore the tourism potentials of the state in the most amazing way. Tourism all over the world is a big business and Kwara State cannot be left out in the new business. That is why it is very important for the governor to explore the tourism potentials of the state.”
