FG assures Kwara residents of commitment to restore peace, tackle Insecurity
By Toba Ajayi
The Federal Government has assured residents of Kwara of its commitment to restoring peace and addressing insecurity in the region.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Dr. Abiodun Essiet, gave the assurance on Thursday in Omu-Aran during a community engagement meeting with stakeholders from Kwara South Senatorial District.
Essiet said President Bola Tinubu prioritised grassroots engagement and had mandated her to interact directly with communities to better understand their concerns.
According to her, the federal government was intensifying efforts to ensure safety across all parts of the country.
She disclosed that a Citizens’ Assembly comprising youths and key stakeholders has been constituted and trained in intelligence gathering, documentation and reporting community concerns directly to the appropriate authorities.
Essiet added that representatives from the seven local government areas in Kwara South were present at the meeting to articulate their challenges and needs.
“We are in Kwara South to listen to the concerns of the people and relay them to the President,” she said.
She explained that the Citizens’ Assembly would provide a platform for engagement with religious leaders, traditional rulers, association heads, vigilantes and women leaders at the grassroots level.
The presidential aide urged residents to cooperate with security agencies, assuring them that concrete plans were in place to address the security challenges facing the country.
She also advised community members to report suspicious movements and avoid harbouring unknown persons without proper verification.
Essiet further warned against the payment of ransom to kidnappers, encouraging residents to report such incidents promptly to the appropriate authorities.
She assured stakeholders that the Tinubu administration would sustain community-based engagements to strengthen trust and collaboration.
In his remarks, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti, commended the federal government for the engagement initiative.
He, however, called for increased security presence in Kwara South.
“We need more security personnel in Kwara South to guarantee the safety of our people,” he said.
Adeoti also appealed to the government to rehabilitate the Omu-Aran–Ajase–Kabba road to enhance economic activities in the area.
Similarly, the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Ismail Muhammed-Alebiosu, urged the government to grant traditional rulers statutory roles backed by law, noting that they are closest to the grassroots.
Alebiosu who is also the Chairman of Igbomina & Ekiti Traditional Rulers of Kwara also advocated for full local government autonomy, stressing that no tier of government should be dependent on another.
Alebiosu further suggested the conversion of unused bush areas into productive ventures such as barracks and national parks to improve security and development.
Representatives from Ekiti, Ifelodun, Irepodun, Isin, Offa, Oke-Ero and Oyun local government areas also attended the meeting.
The SSA also visited the Council Secretariat in Ajase-Ipo, where she met with 12 traditional rulers from the Irepodun Traditional Council.