Youths from Kwara State North have called for an immediate end to persistent killings and bandit attacks affecting communities in Edu, Patigi and Kaiama local government areas.

Operating under the banner of the Coalition of Kwara North Youths, the protesters marched to the Government House on Wednesday, carrying placards and expressing frustration over what they described as government inaction amid escalating insecurity in the region.

Chanting solidarity songs as they advanced, the demonstrators said communities from Gbugbu to Woro had become hotspots for violence, leaving residents fearful and vulnerable to recurring attacks.

Speaking to journalists at the entrance of the Government House, the group’s coordinator, Usman Haruna, said the protest was peaceful but driven by deep concern over repeated incidents in the area.

"We stand here today as peaceful, law-abiding citizens of Kwara North, gathered at the gates of the Government House, not in anger but in anguish; not in violence, but in conscience. Our communities are suffering, and remaining silent in the face of repeated tragedy would make us complicit," he said.

Haruna alleged that recent attacks on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area led to significant loss of life over two days. He described the victims as farmers, students, parents and breadwinners whose deaths have left lasting emotional and economic impacts on their families.

"These were not statistics; they were men, women and children whose absence has created painful voids in their homes and communities," he added.

He further stated that communities across Edu and Patigi had faced similar threats, including farmers ambushed on their farmlands, travellers abducted along rural routes and residents forced to flee their homes.

"In Gbugbu, parts of the Lafiagi area, riverine communities in Patigi and villages across Edu, families have been attacked in their homes, and many have had to be laid to rest," he said.