The House of Representatives of Nigeria on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to boost security in communities within Ekiti North I Federal Constituency following a surge in kidnappings, killings, and other violent crimes.
The call followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by the House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, during plenary presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Rotimi highlighted a growing wave of criminal activity in several communities in the Ikole/Oye area, including Oke-Ako, Ipao, Irele, Itapaji, Iyemero, and Ijowa.
He cited reports of abductions, killings, and attacks on farmers, noting a particularly disturbing incident in late February 2026 where a woman was abducted, sexually assaulted, and killed by kidnappers in Ajoni, with ransom demands of ₦1.5 million and illicit items.
He added that some victims were held in captivity for extended periods, including an Oke-Ako resident who was detained for about two weeks before being released.
Rotimi warned that armed criminal groups have increasingly entrenched themselves in forests surrounding the affected communities, using them as operational bases to evade arrest.
Following the motion, the House urged the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, and other relevant security agencies, to immediately intensify security operations in the affected communities.
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Lawmakers also called on the Office of the National Security Adviser of Nigeria to coordinate joint operations to identify and dismantle criminal camps in forests along the Ekiti–Kogi–Kwara border corridor.
The House further mandated its Committees on Defence, Army, Police Affairs, and National Security and Intelligence to engage with security agencies, assess measures being taken, and report back within four weeks.
Lawmakers stressed the need to strengthen intelligence gathering and surveillance to prevent further attacks.
Security analysts and community leaders have linked the rise in violent crimes to vast forest belts across Ekiti, Kogi, and Kwara states, which have become hideouts for armed groups.
Residents have repeatedly raised concerns over inadequate security and threats to farmers traveling long distances to farmlands, disrupting economic activities in agrarian communities.