The Kwara Advancement Initiatives, KAI, a civil society and pro-democracy group, has strongly condemned the worsening insecurity in Kwara State, accusing Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of failing in his constitutional duty to protect lives and property.
The group said the recent relocation of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC orientation camp from its permanent site in Yipata, Edu Local Government Area, to Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin, alongside the closure of Kara markets across Kwara South, was clear evidence of a government in retreat.
According to KAI, these two developments strike at the core of Kwara’s stability, economy, and future, exposing what it described as the “collapse of governance” under Abdulrazaq’s watch.
In a statement signed by its Head of Democratic Mobilization and Monitoring Desk, Hajia Adeola Bashiru, KAI said: “When a state cannot host a national institution like the NYSC camp in its permanent location and cannot guarantee the safe operation of markets that sustain thousands of families, it is clear that governance has collapsed.”
The group noted that insecurity has worsened across Kwara in recent months, with Edu and Patigi communities in the north under siege by kidnappers and armed gangs, while fear and restrictions have overtaken farmlands and markets in the south.
KAI described the relocation of the NYSC camp as a “national disgrace” and an indictment on the state government’s inability to guarantee safety.
“The NYSC has been a symbol of unity and patriotism for over four decades. To now see Kwara retreat from hosting corps members at its permanent camp is shameful,” the statement read.
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The group was equally critical of the indefinite shutdown of Kara markets in Kwara South, warning that the move would devastate livelihoods, disrupt commerce, and deepen poverty. It argued that closing markets was not a solution but an admission of failure.
“These markets are lifelines for farmers, traders, transporters, and families. Shutting them down will cripple local economies and worsen hunger.This is a government surrendering its duties while ordinary people pay the price,” KAI lamented.
Accusing Governor Abdulrazaq of silence and indifference, the group said his inaction had emboldened criminals while leaving citizens defenseless.
“Leadership is about safety, stability, and direction in times of crisis. Unfortunately, Kwara today has a governor whose aloofness has left the state vulnerable,” it added.
KAI called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene, deploy stronger security measures across Kwara, and ensure that the Yipata NYSC camp can be restored once safety is guaranteed.
It also urged the FG to provide support for communities in Kwara South whose livelihoods have been crippled by the closure of cattle markets.
The group concluded with a warning that Kwara was becoming uninhabitable if immediate steps were not taken: “Insecurity spares no one and destroys everything in its path. Citizens cannot be abandoned, communities cannot be deserted, and national institutions cannot be displaced while a state government sleeps. The time to act is now.”
Crediblenewsng.com
