A senior Nigerian pastor of Amazing Grace Restoration Ministries, International,Pastor Okunlegbe Toba John has called on the Kwara State government to take urgent action against rising insecurity in the Edu and Patigi Local Government Areas.
He made the appeal in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Monday.
The cleric urged the state authorities to deploy rapid-response security forces to affected communities, which he said have been plunged into fear by persistent kidnappings and banditry.
Pastor Johm also called for increased support for local vigilante groups, including financial aid, equipment, and intelligence coordination.
“Government must also engage with traditional rulers and community leaders for effective information gathering,” he said.
He warned that the current silence and slow response by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration is fuelling frustration among residents.
He lamented that the government has so far offered little beyond routine condemnations, with no clear strategy to address the crisis.
“What began as a threat in neighbouring Kogi is now a full-blown emergency along the Egbe-Okoloke-Patigi axis,” he noted, referencing recent attacks and the kidnapping of a traditional ruler.
He said the people of Kwara are not asking for miracles, “they are asking for leadership, empathy, and decisive action.”
Pastor John stressed that the state’s longstanding identity as the “State of Harmony” is now at risk.
“Kwara’s peace was built on communal tolerance and vigilance. This moment demands bold action to preserve that legacy,” he added.
