“We Are Already Buying Guns To Defend Ourselves Against Terrorists Because Government Can’t Do Everything,” Says Kwara Council Chairman
The Chairman of Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mallam Garba Olayinka Lukman Agbelere, has revealed that several communities in the council area are contributing money to purchase firearms to defend themselves against bandit attacks.
Agbelere disclosed this during an exclusive telephone interview with SaharaReporters, identifying Marafa-Oja, his hometown, as one of the communities that had already acquired weapons for self-protection.
According to him, residents of Marafa-Oja have purchased six guns, while other communities, including Apa Ado, Egbeyegi and Looru, have also taken similar steps to protect themselves against armed attacks.
“Many communities have started helping themselves. In my community, Marafa-Oja, we bought six guns. Apa Ado community did the same thing. Egbeyegi did the same thing. Looru did the same thing.
“This is what the communities are now trying to do: to help themselves. Not everything should be left for the government to do,” he said.
The council chairman explained that he recently advised residents of Abangbe Village to take their security seriously following the abduction of four members of a family by suspected bandits on October 25, 2026.
The victims, identified as Abike, Semiu, Sofiat and Ramadan, were reportedly kidnapped in Abangbe Village, near Oke-Oyi, in Ilorin East Local Government Area.
Their family reportedly approached the local government for assistance after the abductors demanded ₦50 million as ransom.
Agbelere said he visited the affected community alongside a commissioner, where he urged residents to remain vigilant and take necessary measures to protect themselves.
He maintained that the government could not provide security in every community simultaneously, stressing the need for residents to contribute to their own safety.
“I told them that the government cannot do everything. You cannot leave everything in the hands of the government because we cannot be everywhere at a time,” he stated.
His revelation highlights growing concerns over insecurity in rural communities across Kwara State, where residents are increasingly considering self-defence measures amid persistent threats of banditry and kidnapping.
