The President of the Restoration Movement, Comrade Peter Kayode, has raised concerns over the security situation in Kwara State, accusing political actors and state authorities of prioritizing 2027 election campaigns over the protection of citizens.
In a public statement issued on Wednesday, Kayode cited recent attacks across Kwara North and Kwara South, describing the growing loss of lives, destruction of communities, and mass displacement of residents as evidence of systemic failure.
The activist referenced the February 2026 massacre in Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, where over 160 residents were killed in a single night, alongside arson attacks including the burning of the Emir of Yashikira’s palace in Baruten.
According to Kayode, security reports and local leadership disclosures indicate that over 1,200 individuals have lost their lives across Kwara North between 2025 and 2026, forcing rural farming communities to abandon their ancestral lands.
He noted that Kwara South, previously considered relatively secure, has faced increasing incursions by bandits and kidnappers, highlighting violent attacks in Babanla and Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
The statement recalled the tragic deaths of five individuals in Oke-Ode, including a police officer, Adejumo Wasiu, and a teenager, Kamal, as well as recurring abductions in Edu, Isanlu-Isin, and surrounding rural settlements.
“While Kwara communities count their dead, those in power appear busy with their own political ambitions,” Kayode stated.
“Aides and political officeholders who should be managing the crisis are lining up for the next elective office. Ticket-hunting and campaign meetings are everywhere, but the same energy is missing in the burnt villages where families are still searching for missing relatives.” He added.
The group commended former lawmaker and political leader Hon. Saheed Popoola for his recent visit on October 24, 2026, to families of kidnapped victims in Kwara South, contrasting his grassroots engagement with official government declarations that security challenges in the region were under control.
Similarly, the group outlined five critical demands for the Kwara State Government and security agencies:
I. Establishment of permanent, well-equipped military and police posts in vulnerable Kwara North frontier communities.
II. Increased surveillance and rapid-response deployments across Kwara South.
III. Strategic positioning of operational police units and communication infrastructure in remote rural areas.
IV. Adequate funding, tactical equipment, and military coordination for local vigilante groups and state forest guards.
V. Comprehensive relief, rehabilitation, and financial support for displaced persons and bereaved families.
Concluding the statement, Kayode stressed that the primary constitutional duty of government is the security and welfare of citizens, urging political leaders to prioritize immediate security interventions over premature electoral activities.