Five months after the deadly attack on their communities, residents of Kaiama, Woro, Nuku and surrounding areas in the Kwara North Senatorial District, on Friday, protested the endless captivity of over 100 abducted victims still in kidnappers’ den.
Aside scores who lost their lives, about 179 residents were abducted during the attack on the communities in February this year.
The residents are demanding government swift action towards the rescue of the victims.
In a reaction to the peaceful protest by the residents, the main opposition party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saluted the courage and uncommon patriotism displayed by the people of Kaiama, Woro and surrounding communities who marched peacefully in their thousands to demand the rescue of the 176 Woro victims who have remained in bandits’ captivity since February.
The party frowned at the state government’s disturbingly silence as though the lives of the innocent citizens no longer matter.
A statement on Friday by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, said, “seeing Kaiama protesters with placards appealing directly to President Bola Tinubu is a vote of no confidence in Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq’s leadership and his nonchalant handling of the security crisis in Kwara state.
“It is crystal clear that when citizens no longer look up to their governor in moments of pain but bypass him to seek help directly from the President in Abuja, it simply means they no longer believe the Governor’s capacity or will to fight for them.
“President Tinubu’s efforts to tackle insecurity can only produce meaningful results when complemented by proactive governors who constantly engage security agencies, coordinate intelligence, mobilise local support and reassure affected communities.
“While the President remains the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, every responsible governor is expected to provide leadership, coordinate security efforts, constantly engage security agencies, reassure affected communities and become the loudest advocate for the safety of his people.
“More than five months after the Woro 176 were abducted, the Governor owes the people an explanation.
“How many times has the Governor personally met with the families of the victims to reassure them that his government has not abandoned them? What concrete rescue strategy has the Kwara State Government unveiled since these innocent citizens were taken into captivity?
“What high-level security coordination meetings has the Governor convened since February to drive and monitor rescue efforts and beyond occasional social media statements, what concrete support has the Kwara state government provided to families whose loved ones have remained in the hands of bandits since February?
“It is therefore no surprise that the protesters directed their appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“While the President continues to strengthen the nation’s security architecture, the people of Kaiama have demonstrated that they no longer have confidence that the Kwara state government is providing the leadership required to complement those efforts.”
The party said “beyond partisan politics, we make bold to say Mr President has continued to strengthen the nation’s security architecture through increased funding to federating states, deployment of security personnel, acquisition of military assets and renewed directives to security agencies to confront criminal elements across the country, the same cannot be said of Governor AbdulRazaq, whose lack of visible leadership at home continues to undermine the Federal government efforts in Kwara state.”
According to the party, “Kaiama protesters have reminded us that among these 176 captives are their fathers, their mothers, their children and an entire family whose lives have been shattered by months of uncertainty, fear and agony.
‘The people themselves have demonstrated that they no longer have confidence that the Kwara state hovernment can secure the freedom of their loved ones.
“If they did, they would naturally have directed their demands first to the Government House in Ilorin instead of appealing almost entirely to the Presidency.
“Nothing exposes the failure of leadership more than a people who no longer see their own governor as their first source of hope.”
The party called on Governor AbdulRazaq to take ownership of the security challenges confronting the state.
Kwara PDP knocks govt as communities protest five months captivity of abducted victims
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