Insecurity: Group urges reinvigoration of community policing in Kwara
* Accuses illegal miners for upsurge in banditry, kidnappings
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A group, under the aegis of ‘One Kwara Agenda’, in Kwara State has blamed recent upsurge in banditry and kidnappings in the State on incursion by illegal mining operators.
Speaking at an interactive session with journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, over the weekend, members of the civic advocacy group, led by its Convener, Femi Adetola, disclosed that investigations carried out by the group revealed that areas where insecurity pervades are the bedrocks of solid minerals in the State.
He said: “Insecurity affects all of us. Thus, it should be our collective concern. And you don’t wait until you are in any position to take action. We’ve never had it so bad. People will say insecurity is a national problem. But all this while it had been a national problem, it’s never been like that here. Why now?
“In the course of our own interaction, so to say, with people in the affected parts of the state, as solution activists, diagnosing the problem, we discovered that the incursion of illegal miners into our society has been enormous. And it’s one of the things that has brought the problem which we’re experiencing now.
“Go to all the areas where this insecurity pervades, you’ll agree with me that they are the bedrocks of solid minerals. Though, we could have pockets of kidnappers etc, what made it a statewide problem now is the incursion of the illegal miners.”
Adetola, who advocated reinvigoration of community policing in the state to combat the menace, wondered why the stakeholders had relaxed on the matter in recent time.
He also lamented that some traditional rulers in the affected areas did little or nothing to help the situation because of what they expect to get on land.
“That’s part of the advocacy we’re doing now. In that, we need to understand the problem before we start thinking of how and what to do to proffer solution,” he added.
The Convener of One Kwara Agenda also said that the fight against insecurity requires collective efforts and not that of a single stakeholder, saying that, “Let us all be concerned that an injury to one is an injury to all. Insecurity in one Kwara village should concern us all. If we take it that way, definitely, we would find solution to it”.
He also charged government to be open and transparent in the fight against insecurity, saying that government should carry people along. “Let them see that what you are doing is for them. With that, aparthy would be ruled out.
“Ours is in the area of public advocacy as we’re not a security apparatus. We’re solution activists. We’re concerned with a system that works for all. If we’re together we’ll have a shared prosperity”.
On political development ahead of 2027 general elections, Adetola enjoined stakeholders to put merit, competence, and people-driven agenda above other considerations, as against divisive tendencies.