The Kwara State Security Council has appealed to residents to continue providing timely and actionable intelligence that will aid ongoing operations to decimate bandit groups operating within the state and its borders.
The council also assured that security agencies are doing everything within their capacity to ensure that all persons in captivity are rescued unhurt.
The call came during a Security Council meeting convened by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to review recent security developments, particularly in the aftermath of the violent attack in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area.
The state commissioner of police, Adekimi Ojo briefed the press after the security council meeting.
He said the meeting reviewed various field reports and intelligence shared by security commanders, including updates on efforts to track down the perpetrators of the Eruku attack and secure the release of abducted residents.
The council commended the heightened security deployments across the state, especially ongoing air operations that have successfully dislodged kidnappers from hideouts, particularly in parts of Ifelodun.
In line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has deployed four tactical units — the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Special Intervention Squad (SIS), and Special Tactical Squad (STS) — to bolster operations in Kwara and neutralise further threats.
The Police and Department of State Services also briefed the council on several arrests made, including drug, food, and fuel suppliers aiding the criminals, as well as a man who confessed to repairing weapons for the kidnappers.
The council applauded the state government’s recent strategic security measures around schools in some parts of the state, noting that such measures may be eased, sustained, or expanded depending on evolving intelligence.
This caution comes in the light of a fresh abduction incident reported in Niger State earlier on Friday.
As security agencies intensify efforts to secure the return of abducted schoolgirls in Niger, the council urged heightened vigilance and the prompt reporting of suspicious movements across communities.
It also approved joint security patrols across the state, especially ahead of the Yuletide season, and recommended the strengthening of security around vulnerable locations.
Raising concerns about the misuse of social media, the council warned against the reckless dissemination of sensitive security information, including posts that amplify kidnappers’ activities or publicise ransom demands, noting that such actions endanger the public and undermine ongoing operations.
Citizens were further advised to avoid night farming and late-night social gatherings that may expose them to harm, and to promptly report any unusual activity to security agencies, government authorities, or traditional institutions.
