By Omowumi Omotosho
The Asa Progressive Assembly, a civil society group comprising concerned residents of Asa Local Government Area in Kwara State, has raised alarm over escalating kidnappings, killings, and banditry impacting Pampo village and neighboring communities.
In a statement, the organization’s Director of Welfare and Public Orientation, Architect Kudirat Olohunoje, called on the Kwara State Government and security forces to intervene swiftly to rescue Pampo from what she described as “the grip of criminal bandits.”
The organization warned that unless decisive action is taken, the area risks becoming desolate as residents flee en masse to escape violence that has plagued the region for years.
Olohunoje highlighted the plight of local farmers, many of whom have invested millions of naira in commercial agriculture only to abandon their lands out of fear.
Farmers who have poured their resources into cultivating their lands are now abandoning their investments because of the constant threat of abduction and murder,” she lamented
Also, some residents and elders of Pampo provided accounts of the dire security situation. They described how dozens of people have been abducted in recent months, including three individuals from nearby Igbaja for whom kidnappers demanded a ransom of N30 million. The community also mourns a local vigilante leader, Lukman Balogun, who was killed by bandits during a raid in September.
Kidnapping incidents have surged across the region. In August, about 20 travelers were abducted by gunmen along the Osi/Obbo-Aiyegunle road in Ekiti Local Government Area, as they journeyed from Kwara to Kogi State.
Furthermore, a video clip from residents captured the testimony of an unnamed vigilante officer who described a harrowing encounter with kidnappers in Isapa. The officer, who survived being shot, recounted the terrifying ordeal: “Gunmen, dressed in military camouflage, abduct residents from different parts of the local government every three days. Four days ago, they kidnapped 10 people, and yesterday, they kidnapped another 10. They have just found the corpse of one of the kidnapped victims. The police have abandoned us.”
A Pampo resident, Kehinde Olaitan, expressed her anguish over the constant threat of abduction. “They [kidnappers] have turned this area into a nightmare. Nobody is safe anymore because you can be inside your house, and they will walk in and kidnap you. The government is not doing anything about our situation as the lives of people continue to be lost to these criminal kidnappers.”
Another resident, Alhaji Abdulqadri Ahmadu, voiced frustration over unfulfilled promises from law enforcement to restore peace. “Despite the promises made by security agencies, we are yet to see any meaningful improvement. Criminal activities, including the raping of women and farm workers, stealing of farm produce, and maiming, continue unchecked. Many of our people have left the community out of fear,” he said.
The Asa Progressive Assembly condemned the inadequate response from both security forces and the Kwara State Government, which they argue has left Pampo and nearby villages vulnerable. The group warned that without stronger action, communities across the region will continue to suffer under the threat of violent criminal groups.
