Kwara governor meets Edu, Patigi people over insecurity, poor infrastructure

The Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on Thursday met with nominated stakeholders from Edu and Patigi local government areas to discuss insecurity and other challenges facing their communities.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Dabarako Mohammed, Chairperson of the Edu/Patigi Stakeholders, and Mohammed Magaji, Secretary, the stakeholders expressed concern that the governor had yet to visit the areas despite rising incidents of banditry and kidnapping.

“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 communique read.

The stakeholders urged the government to deploy more troops and the newly trained National Forest Guards to flush out the 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.”

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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.