NDC chieftain condemns Kwara attacks

A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Lagos Central Senatorial aspirant, Bamofin Johnson, has condemned the recent attacks in Kwara and Oyo states, describing them as evidence of a worsening national security crisis and a sign of systemic collapse in the country’s security architecture.

Johnson, in a statement issued on Monday, specifically decried the coordinated assault on the Yashikira Emir’s Palace and the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, warning that the country was drifting toward anarchy if urgent reforms were not implemented.

He said the attacks underscored what he described as the inability of the current administration to guarantee the safety of lives and property.

“The recent coordinated assault on the Yashikira Emir’s Palace and the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters in Baruten LGA, Kwara State, is a chilling reminder that the current administration has completely lost its grip on the security of this nation,” Johnson stated.

The NDC stalwart linked the incident to a broader pattern of violence across the country, citing the reported abduction of more than 30 pupils in Oyo State and fatal attacks in Kwara.

According to him, the situation reflects a deepening breakdown in security institutions, with even facilities meant to provide protection now vulnerable to attacks.

“Early Monday morning, while citizens slept, gunmen operated with impunity, setting a royal palace ablaze and abducting ten innocent Nigerians. This comes barely 48 hours after another attack in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara, where three worshippers were killed and 15 others abducted during a church vigil,” he said.

“The blood of the innocent is crying out from the soil of Kwara, just as it did only last week in Oyo State when bandits once again reminded us that no one is safe,” Johnson added.

He argued that the rising insecurity was taking a heavy toll on the economy, saying disruptions to supply chains had triggered significant increases in food and transportation costs.

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Johnson claimed that food prices in Oyingbo market in Lagos had risen by about 150 per cent, while logistics costs had increased by between 30 and 40 per cent due to insecurity-induced disruptions.

“This government’s ineptitude has turned the average Nigerian citizen into a pawn in a deadly game of survival. We are witnessing a systemic collapse where even police stations, the very symbols of state protection, are no longer sacrosanct,” he said.

The NDC chieftain further argued that the country’s security challenges stemmed not only from operational failures but also from what he termed a lack of political will.

He said the NDC leadership under Senator Seriake Dickson offered an alternative built on experience and capacity, highlighting the party’s presidential ticket comprising Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Johnson described Obi as a leader known for administrative prudence and accountability, while praising Kwankwaso’s experience as former Minister of Defence under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

According to him, recent federal initiatives such as the Pulako programme and deployment of surveillance drones were insufficient without structural reforms.

To address the crisis, Johnson proposed immediate interventions including the establishment of state and community policing, stronger border security through electronic surveillance systems, creation of a National Whistleblower Fund for security intelligence, and strengthening local defence production through partnerships involving the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and private technology firms.

“The Yashikira attack proves that local intelligence is ineffective if response mechanisms remain centralized. We must move beyond rhetoric and implement state and community policing immediately,” he said.

Johnson also called for enhanced border protection in Baruten, a border community, through biometric tracking systems, thermal sensors and a reinforced border force to curb the influx of arms and foreign mercenaries.

“As I seek to represent the people of Lagos Central in the Senate, my priority will be creating a legislative framework that removes the bottlenecks preventing our security agencies from being proactive rather than reactive,” he said.

“The NDC is ready to lead. We have the experience, we have the will, and we have the plan.”