There was serious tension and chaos in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Monday, as angry youths took to the streets to protest the alarming rise in kidnapping and insecurity within their community. In an intense display of frustration and anger, the youths stormed and set fire to the Emir’s Palace as well as the office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The violent protest was ignited by the recent abduction of a prominent agro-chemical dealer popularly known as Alhaji Chemical. According to reports, the businessman was forcefully taken from his residence in the Taiwo area of Lafiagi around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday by heavily armed men suspected to be bandits.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the gunmen arrived on motorcycles, outgunned local vigilantes with heavy gunfire, and successfully kidnapped the victim without resistance. The abduction of Alhaji Chemical has added to the long list of unresolved kidnapping incidents in the area, pushing the residents into deeper fear and insecurity.
Before the attack on the Emir’s palace and NDLEA office, the youths had blocked major roads in the town, set tyres ablaze, and chanted against the failure of security agencies and traditional authorities to curb the rising wave of criminality. They accused the local leaders and security personnel of negligence and incompetence in safeguarding the lives and properties of the people.
“We can’t sleep with our eyes closed anymore. People are being taken almost every week, and the authorities are not doing anything about it,” a visibly distressed resident cried out in a viral video recorded at the scene of the protest.
The demonstrators, overwhelmed by anger and desperation, eventually vandalised sections of the Emir’s palace and proceeded to torch the NDLEA office. In the midst of the chaos, it was reported that four detainees held at the NDLEA facility were forcefully released by the protesters before security operatives could intervene.
Confirming the disturbing incident, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, disclosed that he personally visited the community alongside the Brigade Commander of 22 Brigade, Sobi, Ilorin, to assess the level of destruction and restore order. He explained that the protest was orchestrated by a group of miscreants who deliberately caused damage to the Emir’s palace and set the NDLEA office on fire. They also freed four suspects from custody before escaping upon sighting security forces.
“The protest was led by some miscreants who damaged parts of the Emir’s palace and set the NDLEA office on fire. They also released four suspects from NDLEA custody before fleeing when they saw the Police and Soldiers,” the Commissioner stated.
He further assured that joint security forces comprising the Police, Soldiers, local hunters, and vigilante groups have intensified efforts to rescue the kidnapped victims and restore peace and stability to Lafiagi and its environs. He also called on residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Meanwhile, community members continue to express their deep frustration, urging the government and security authorities to take urgent and decisive actions to end the ongoing abductions and ensure lasting peace in the troubled community.