Chaos In Kwara: Angry Youths Torch NDLEA Office, Attack Emir’s Palace Over Rising Insecurity

Tension gripped Lafiagi in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State on Monday as angry youths took to the streets to protest the escalating insecurity and banditry in the region.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The demonstrators, predominantly young locals, launched the protest early in the morning to express their outrage over persistent terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and killings that have plagued the area in recent weeks.

What began as a peaceful demonstration soon turned violent. Protesters set fire to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) office in Lafiagi and vandalized several parts of the Emir of Lafiagi’s palace, including windows and other structures.

A resident who spoke to SaharaReporters said the protest was long overdue, attributing it to the residents’ frustration with the authorities’ inaction in the face of growing violence.

“We’ve been suffering in silence,” the resident lamented. “Kidnappings happen almost every week. We no longer sleep peacefully, and no one—neither the governor, the local government chairman, nor the Emir—is addressing the situation.”

Another community source described the protest as a result of pent-up frustration, accusing the state government of neglect.

“The youths are simply fed up. The government isn’t helping. The attacks have become unbearable. That’s why they took action today, targeting the Emir’s palace and the NDLEA office,” the source said.

The protest follows a fresh wave of abductions in Lafiagi and nearby communities. In just the past 48 hours, three residents were reportedly kidnapped in separate incidents.

Among the victims is a well-known Point-of-Sale (POS) agent, identified as Yman, who was abducted Sunday night in Lafiagi. In the early hours of Monday, two Hausa men were kidnapped during a raid on Kokodo village. A young girl narrowly escaped by fleeing into the nearby bush.

“These attacks are happening too frequently,” a local resident added. “The POS operator was taken Sunday night. Then this morning, two more people—both Hausa—were kidnapped.”