Security remains the foundation of development, and for Engr. Sulaiman Bolakale Kawu, the PDP governorship candidate in Kwara State, returning safety to unsecured regions is not a campaign slogan but a sacred obligation. In recent years, Kwara, once regarded as a state of harmony, has witnessed disturbing security challenges, particularly in Kwara North senatorial district covering Baruten, Kaiama, Patigi and Edu, and parts of Kwara South including Ifelodun, Ekiti and Oke-Ero. These are border communities sharing boundaries with Niger State and the Benin Republic axis, making them vulnerable to banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes and illegal mining activities. The effect has been devastating: thousands of farming families displaced, vast farmlands abandoned, schools intermittently closed, and economic activities crippled.
Engr. Kale Kawu understands that insecurity in Kwara is not just a law enforcement problem but a developmental crisis. His plan to restore safety is anchored on a four-pronged, technology-driven and community-owned security architecture that addresses both the symptoms and the root causes.
First is the modernization of the state’s security infrastructure. He plans to establish a Kwara State Central Security Command and Control Centre with 24-hour surveillance capabilities, integrating drones for aerial monitoring of forests and border routes, CCTV coverage in crime-prone corridors, and a dedicated emergency response short-code for citizens to report incidents in real time. This centre will coordinate the activities of all security agencies and provide intelligence-led operations rather than reactive responses.
Second is the institutionalization of community policing. Kale Kawu believes no security strategy can succeed without the trust and participation of the people who live in the affected areas. His administration will formally recognize, train, equip and fund community vigilantes, local hunters and traditional security structures, placing them under the supervision of traditional rulers and community development associations. This ensures that those who know the terrain, the forests and the people become the first line of intelligence gathering and early warning.
Third is addressing the socio-economic drivers of insecurity. Many of the unsecured regions are economically deprived, with high youth unemployment and lack of access to farmlands. Kale Kawu proposes a comprehensive resettlement programme for displaced families, coupled with the restoration of abandoned farmlands. Through the provision of improved seedlings, mechanized farming equipment, access to low-interest farm credit and guaranteed off-taker markets, displaced farmers will be encouraged to return to their ancestral lands. When young people are productively engaged, the recruitment pool for criminal gangs dries up.
Fourth is strengthening inter-agency and inter-state collaboration. Criminals do not respect boundaries. Therefore, Kale Kawu will initiate a North-Central security summit involving Kwara, Niger, Kogi and Oyo States to share intelligence, conduct joint patrols and dismantle cross-border criminal networks. At the federal level, his administration will provide robust logistical support to the Police, Army, NSCDC and DSS operating in Kwara, while demanding accountability and respect for human rights.
Beyond these, he emphasizes the protection of schools and health facilities in vulnerable communities, the creation of safe corridors for farmers during farming seasons, and the provision of insurance and compensation for victims of insecurity to rebuild their lives.
For Engr. Kale Kawu, the philosophy is simple and humane: security is not a privilege reserved for those living in GRA Ilorin alone. Every child in Kosubosu, every farmer in Patigi, every trader in Omu-Aran deserves to live, work and sleep with both eyes closed without fear. He maintains that when safety returns to the farms and villages, food will be abundant, markets will thrive, children will return to school, and Kwara’s economy will blossom again. In his words, when safety returns, prosperity will follow, and no Kwaran will be left behind.