The traditional leader of Woro village in Kwara State, Mr. Umar Saliu, has asserted that only the presence of a permanent military contingent and a thorough security restructuring can safeguard communities within the Kaiama local government area from recurring acts of terror.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Saliu detailed the extensive devastation caused by a recent onslaught from radical extremists, which has plunged the community into grief and apprehension. While the state government initially reported 75 fatalities, Saliu cautioned that the number of casualties is likely higher as search teams continue to locate bodies in surrounding agricultural areas.
He stated, “As at yesterday, we buried 75, but there are some corpses that are still lying in the bush… some people are running, they shot them, they went and died inside some farmland.”
Saliu contended that the existing security framework is inadequate, noting a critical delay of almost ten hours between the commencement of the attack and the arrival of ground forces. He observed that while aerial surveillance was conducted, the absence of immediate ground intervention empowered the bandits to carry out their activities without restraint. “What I am suggesting and requesting the state or federal government is that if they can get us a standard security that will be able to protect the life of citizens there… I think this situation will be solved,” he conveyed to ARISE.
He identified the removal of a former military outpost, which housed approximately 15 soldiers, as the pivotal moment that left the region vulnerable. “They packed those army and they leave that place open. I think that’s what caused all this problem,” Saliu commented, stressing that bandits are emboldened by the power vacuum.
Saliu also addressed the limitations faced by local vigilante groups, explaining that they are presently unable to protect the populace because they are being targeted and outmatched by the extremists. “If they see any vigilante, they shoot him and that is all,” he reported, underscoring the urgent necessity for federal support.
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