The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of failing to act decisively against escalating banditry, following a deadly attack in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area on Sunday.
The raid left several residents and vigilante members dead.
In a statement on Monday, September 29, signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the PDP described the attack as “a despicable and senseless act” that plunged the state into mourning.
The party blamed the governor for what it called “monumental leadership failure.”
“The gruesome videos of the casualties circulating online make it look like Kwara is now at war. Under AbdulRahman’s watch, terror is reigning, kidnappers are taking over rural villages, and nowhere is safe again,” the PDP said.
Also, the party criticised the governor for not visiting Oke-Ode to console victims’ families or assure residents of government action.
It alleged that local vigilantes and security personnel, who are risking their lives battling bandits, had been neglected, while funds were allegedly diverted to “footballers and entertainers outside the state.”
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The PDP’s warning comes amid rising concern in Kwara North, where repeated bandit attacks have forced residents to abandon farms, schools, and businesses.
On Sunday, gunmen attacked Oke-Ode at dawn, killing the Baale of Ogbayo and several vigilantes. The raid has sent shockwaves across the state.
A coalition of Nupe groups under the Nupe Descendants Union (NDU) has joined calls for urgent government action, urging the governor to reinforce security, improve intelligence, and personally visit the affected communities.
“Our people live a life of uncertainty; they cannot sleep with their eyes closed. Lives and properties are wasted, farmlands are no longer accessible, and commercial activities have been paralysed,” NDU President Alhaji Shuaibu Mohammed said at a press briefing in Ilorin.
The coalition also highlighted poor road conditions in Kwara North, particularly along the Patigi–Gbugbu–Lafiagi–Tsaragi–Bacita axis, describing the route as a “death trap” exploited by bandits.
Sunday’s Oke-Ode killings are the latest in a series of violent incidents in Edu, Patigi, Moro, and Ifelodun LGAs.
These include the murder of a pharmacist in Patigi, the shutdown of the International Gbugbu Market, and the killing of a young driver at Esanti village.
The PDP and local groups are calling on the governor to take immediate steps to restore security and protect residents in vulnerable communities.