Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, held a meeting on Thursday with selected stakeholders representing the Edu and Patigi local government areas. The focus of the discussion was the escalating insecurity and other issues currently affecting their communities.

Following the meeting, a joint communique was issued, signed by Dabarako Mohammed, the Chairperson of the Edu/Patigi Stakeholders, and Mohammed Magaji, the group's Secretary. In the document, the stakeholders voiced their concern that the Governor had not yet visited the areas personally, despite the surging incidents of banditry and kidnapping.

The communiqué stated: "The activities of the insurgents have not only crippled the economic and social lives of our people but have also mentally and psychologically traumatized them."

The stakeholders strongly appealed to the government to immediately deploy more troops and also send in the newly trained National Forest Guards to the areas to effectively flush out the criminal bandits.

They also highlighted the poor condition of the Tsaragi-Patigi road, the blackout that has left Lafiagi and Patigi without electricity or functioning waterworks, and the need for greater support for agriculture.

Responding, Governor Abdulrazaq explained that he had taken up the security matter with the Presidency and the military authorities and assured that "more troops are underway."

He disclosed that plans were "already in top gear to establish a homegrown community security architecture as a first line of defence."

The governor also promised to pay condolence visits to the affected LGAs, provide palliatives to victims, and work with the federal government to address the delay in completing the Tsaragi-Gbugbu-Patigi road.