Deputy Senate Leader and Senator representing Kwara South, Senator Lola Ashiru, has raised the alarm over the worsening insecurity in the senatorial district, warning that the crisis now poses a grave threat not only to the state but also to neighbouring regions and national stability.

Speaking at a strategic security assessment meeting with community stakeholders, Ashiru disclosed that the gathering was driven by his deep concern for the people and his belief that the prosperity of Kwara State hinges on peace and security in the southern axis.

He described the current situation as dire, with frequent attacks disrupting farming, commerce, and education, while fear continues to displace families and erode livelihoods.

Ashiru called for coordinated action between federal and state agencies, enhanced intelligence sharing, and greater investment in community-based surveillance systems to stem the tide of violence.

His intervention underscores growing pressure on security architects to address the root causes of banditry and restore confidence in one of Nigeria’s most vulnerable corridors.

"This meeting is not for empty talk but for action. Today we gather as one family united by a common pain and a common purpose to reclaim the peace, safety, and dignity of Kwara South," he said.

The senator decried the toll of banditry, kidnapping, and violent crimes on farming, trade, and education in the region.

He said insecurity had disrupted cultural tourism, displaced investments, and left farmlands and mining activities abandoned.

"These are great losses to our people. If unchecked, the cancer of insecurity could spread southwards and devastate the entire country," he warned.

Ashiru said the meeting was designed to "synthesize, analyze and understand the DNA of the issue" in order to develop practical solutions.

He noted that the participants were core rural stakeholders who live the reality of insecurity daily, adding that he was "not interested in playing to the gallery by taking pictures with important personalities."

He said the most important thing is finding a realistic solution to the problem of insecurity in Kwara South.

Outlining concrete measures, Ashiru proposed the establishment of more robust Forward Operating Bases (FoBs) across vulnerable zones, better equipment and manpower for security agencies, and the revival of Forest Guards for bush and farmland surveillance.

He also called for stronger collaboration between traditional rulers, youth groups, vigilantes, and security operatives to boost intelligence gathering.

The lawmaker further stressed the need for proper documentation of land ownership in the region to reduce conflicts and track illegal settlers, as well as empowering locals to participate actively in mineral exploration to curb alienation and resentment.

"As we talk about security, we must also talk about prosperity. By engaging our own people in these ventures, we can generate jobs, wealth, and ultimately peace," he said.

Ashiru, who is a member of both the senate committee on defence and intelligence, assured that resolutions from the meeting would be presented at the national level and disclosed that the National Assembly is preparing a national conference on insecurity.

"But every region has its peculiar history and challenges, and for Kwara South, we must trace and solve our own peculiarities to achieve lasting solutions," he added.

Also speaking, the Kwara State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Sunday Fagbemi, said insecurity is not peculiar to the district but requires collective efforts.

Fagbemi who said he attended the event not as a party chairman but a stakeholder directly affected, with relatives kidnapped and killed.

He called for vigilance, intelligence sharing, and community introspection, warning that local informants were aiding criminal elements.

"There must be introspection. Our people need to understand that only when there is security can we have development," Fagbemi said.