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…Charges 2,600 New Forest Guards

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Saturday visited the Ilorin training ground of the newly recruited 2,600 forest guards to assess their progress and boost their morale as they prepare for deployment across the state.

The governor was received by senior officials overseeing the programme, who briefed him on the structure of the training and the readiness of the recruits. AbdulRazaq moved around the facility, observing drills and interacting with instructors and trainees. His visit, officials said, was a strong signal of the administration’s determination to strengthen security in communities affected by recent threats.

Security trainers at the centre reported that the recruits have recorded steady improvement since the programme began, noting that the hands-on sessions are equipping them for field operations once they are deployed.

The state government has already trained and deployed more than 700 forest guards who now operate alongside conventional security agencies. The new batch is expected to further reinforce surveillance efforts, particularly in rural areas where bandits previously used ungoverned forests as hideouts.

While military operations continue to clear these difficult terrains, the forest guards are expected to help hold the ground and ensure criminals cannot return to the areas. The approach, the government says, is part of a wider strategy to restore calm, protect farmlands, and make rural communities safer.

… Panel to Strengthen Stakeholder Engagement on Security

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has set up a cabinet-level security committee to explore and recommend short, medium, and long term measures aimed at preventing further security breaches across the state.
The committee is chaired by Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi, while Mrs. Olufunke Mercy Shittu of the Office of the Head of Service will serve as the secretary.

Other members include the Special Adviser on Security Matters Brigadier General Saliu Tunde Bello, Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development Abdullahi Bata, Senior Special Assistant on Security Alhaji Muhyideen Aliu, Special Assistant on Security Alhaji Moshood Gobir, and one local government chairman from each senatorial district.
According to the government, the panel will hold exclusive engagements with key stakeholders, including traditional rulers, to help develop a homegrown and practical security framework that reflects the realities of communities across the state.

The committee is expected to submit its report within four weeks. The document will guide further decisions of government and offer a local understanding that aligns with ongoing national security conversations.

After many days of hard work by security forces and government representatives, HE AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (CON) is excited to announce the freedom of 38 persons who were recently abducted in an attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Eruku, Ekiti LGA, Kwara Kwara.

The Governor says this is wholly due to the hands-on approach of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, who has personally led the efforts to free the abductees.

The abductees were freed today, November 23. The Governor is immensely grateful to President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for his direct initiative that made this happen.

The President had called off his scheduled trip for the G20 Meeting in South Africa to attend to the breaches in Kwara and Kebbi States. He had also directed heightened security deployments to Kwara, in what underlined his firm commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our people and Nigerians as a whole.

The Governor also expresses appreciation to the Office of the National Security Adviser; the Department of State Services (DSS); the Nigerian Army; Nigeria Intelligence Agency; and, of course, the Nigeria Police, which has graciously deployed four new tactical teams to Kwara State on the directive of the President.

The Governor also thanks members of the security forces across board, thought leaders, religious institutions, and all Kwarans for their support and goodwill since the unfortunate incident.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
November 23, 2025

…Council calls for caution on security reporting, backs new safety measures in schools

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday chaired a security council meeting in Ilorin, where military commanders and top government officials reviewed ongoing operations aimed at containing organized kidnapping syndicates in parts of the state.

The meeting came days after the attack on Eruku in Ekiti Local Government. Briefing reporters after the session, Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi said the meeting received operational updates and intelligence reports from security agencies on efforts to locate the perpetrators and ensure the safe rescue of victims.

“We harvested insights from the security commanders on recent happenings and field intelligence in the aftermath of the Eruku incident,” Adekimi said. “The meeting also commended heightened security deployments, especially air interdictions which have dislodged the kidnappers from their former hideouts, particularly in Ifelodun. It calls for continuous air bombardment of areas identified as criminal bases.”

Adekimi confirmed fresh deployments to Kwara, including four tactical police units acting under the directive of President Bola Tinubu and Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun. He said these teams include the Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, Special Intervention Squad, and Special Weapons and Tactics unit.

Security agencies also briefed the council on arrests linked to the kidnappers’ supply chain. “The Police and DSS reported several arrests of food and fuel suppliers linked to the criminals as well as a man from Makurdi who confessed to fixing weapons for the kidnappers,” he said.

The council praised the state government’s decision to activate safety protocols in selected schools across the southern part of the state. Adekimi said the measures may be adjusted as new intelligence emerges, especially in light of recent security developments elsewhere in the country.

The briefing noted that joint patrols will intensify across Kwara in the coming days, with special attention to sensitive and high-risk areas ahead of the festive season.

The council expressed concern about what it described as harmful social media conduct that undermines security operations. “The meeting observed the damaging impacts of social media in the country’s fight against violent non-state actors,” Adekimi told journalists. “For public safety, it calls for caution in the exercise of freedom of expression.”

Citizens were advised to avoid night farming and other late-hour activities that may expose them to danger. The council also urged the public to quickly report suspicious movements to security agencies or traditional authorities.

The meeting closed with a minute of silence in honour of the victims of the Eruku attack.