The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has blamed Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for failing to tackle worsening insecurity following the violent attack on Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, on Monday, the opposition party described the killings as “a despicable and senseless act” that had thrown the state into mourning.
“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 statement read.
The PDP criticised the governor for allegedly refusing to visit Oke-Ode after the incident, insisting that a responsible leader should have shown empathy to the bereaved families while reassuring residents of government’s commitment to security.
The party also accused AbdulRazaq of neglecting community vigilantes and security operatives “battling criminals in the bush” while prioritising funds for “footballers and entertainers outside the state.”
Gunmen invaded Oke-Ode at dawn on Sunday, killing the Baale of Ogbayo and several vigilante members. Residents described the raid as one of the deadliest attacks in the area in recent years.
The incident has sparked outrage across Kwara North, where repeated bandit assaults have forced residents to abandon farms, schools, and markets.
A coalition of Nupe groups, under the Nupe Descendants Union (NDU), also demanded urgent intervention. Speaking at a press conference in Ilorin, NDU President, Alhaji Shuaibu Mohammed, lamented that rural communities in Kwara now live under constant threat.
“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,” Mohammed said.
The union blamed the persistence of attacks on poor road infrastructure, particularly along the Patigi–Gbugbu–Lafiagi–Tsaragi–Bacita axis, which they described as a route exploited by bandits.
The Oke-Ode killings add to a string of violent incidents across Edu, Patigi, Moro and Ifelodun Local Government Areas, including the murder of a pharmacist in Patigi, the shutdown of the International Gbugbu Market, and the killing of a driver at Esanti village
