Concerned residents of Ifelodun Local Government Area (LGA), Kwara State, have issued a five-point demand to address escalating insecurity in the region, including banditry, kidnappings, and illegal mining activities.

The demands, outlined in a statement titled "Enough is Enough," call for:

1. Immediate deployment of armed security personnel to all identified crime hotspots.

2. Establishment of a permanent joint security base within the local government council.

3. Training, equipment, and institutional support for local vigilante groups and hunters to bolster crime-fighting capabilities.

The residents further urged the government to prioritise community safety and adopt a zero-tolerance stance toward criminal elements destabilising the area.

The demands follow a meeting among residents and civic leaders, underscoring public frustration over persistent threats to lives and property.

Describing the security situation as increasingly worrisome, the group called on key stakeholders, including the state government, security agencies, traditional institutions, and community leaders, to take urgent and coordinated action.

Among their other demands were the convening of emergency town hall meetings involving the state governor, heads of security formations, royal fathers, and grassroots representatives to deliberate on the crisis. They also advocated for weekly security briefings from elected officials to keep residents informed of progress, or inaction, regarding security interventions.

The Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Femi Yusuf, stated that his administration had been actively working to address the situation since taking office eight months ago.

According to him, the council initiated a wide-ranging consultation with traditional rulers to identify security challenges and develop sustainable solutions. He noted that the local vigilante structure was revamped, with personnel strength increased and stipends raised by 50 percent. Members were also enrolled in the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme to improve their welfare.

"To enhance night-time security, we instituted daily patrols from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM across all wards," he said.

Yusuf also revealed that, through joint operations between the vigilante group and formal security agencies, over 50 suspects had been arrested and are currently undergoing prosecution.

He added that the local administration, in partnership with the traditional council, has also launched a ward-based network of community hunters, totaling about 100 members, to boost grassroots surveillance and intelligence gathering.