On Monday, residents of Lafiagi in Kwara State’s Edu Local Government Area demonstrated in the streets against what they said was escalating community insecurity, which includes recurrent incidents of terrorism, kidnapping, and murder.
The demonstrators, who were mostly young people from the neighborhood, expressed their annoyance at what they described as the government’s passivity in the face of ongoing violence.
In a short clip, they were seen carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs while calling for immediate action to stop the killings and kidnappings that are interfering with daily life
In addition to damaging the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi by smashing windows and causing other damage, the angry youths set fire to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) Lafiagi office.
In the video, a resident stated, “We have been crying and dying in silence.” Every week, people are abducted. We no longer sleep with both eyes closed, and no one is taking any action to change that—not even the Emir, the chairman, or the governor.
According to sources, mounting resentment over ongoing attacks and the ineffective response from state and municipal officials was what set off the protest.
“The youths are exhausted, and there has been no concrete action from the government,” a source stated. “The frequency of attacks has increased, which is why the protest erupted today.”
Protesters reportedly advanced on important government buildings, including security agency offices, as the disturbance intensified. Witnesses reported that during the event, the NDLEA facility was set on fire.
In recent weeks, there have been many kidnappings in Lafiagi and the surrounding settlements, and several residents are still in captivity.
According to reports, victims’ families have paid hefty ransoms to get their loved ones released.
Three Fulani women were kidnapped in the region on Sunday, according to the DAILY POST.
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