Kwara Killings: OPC wants killers apprehended, prosecuted

The Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, has condemned the recent killing of no fewer than 178 people in communities in Kwara State, calling the attacks heartbreaking and provocative.

The Yoruba socio-cultural group said the jihadist terrorists behind the killings must be hunted down and punished, warning that failure to act could worsen insecurity across the region.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Chairman of Dr. Frederick Fasehun’s OPC Caretaker Committee, Alhaji Kazeem Lawal, urged governors of the 10 Yoruba-speaking states to immediately declare a state of emergency over escalating insecurity.

Lawal described the attacks as a serious threat to human life and regional stability, adding that “such cold-blooded killers do not deserve a second chance.”

“They have committed a wicked crime against God and humanity. Those responsible should be arrested, prosecuted, and face the highest possible punishment. If the authorities fail to act, more innocent lives will be lost.”

The OPC chairman also warned that ordinary citizens should not be left vulnerable. He said the group was ready to defend Yoruba land and people, stating that the South-West would not tolerate the violence that has overwhelmed parts of the North.

“We shall not cede the land of our birth to terrorists, kidnappers, and jihadists,” Lawal said. “Whatever criminality has happened in the North should stay there. Yoruba people will defend their communities.

Security agencies must do their jobs, but we will not wait for permission to protect ourselves if necessary.”
Lawal criticised the perceived slow response of security agencies to armed groups, questioning why those found with assault rifles are not being arrested. He urged the Federal Government, Kwara State Government, and other security agencies to mobilise all available resources to locate and neutralise the perpetrators.

The OPC also urged governors and political leaders to avoid politicising insecurity, noting that security challenges cannot be treated as political tools and require a collective, rapid response.

Lawal said declaring a state of emergency would signal the seriousness of the threat and allow coordinated measures to protect citizens.

“The rampaging terrorists, bandits, and jihadists are an existential threat. All hands must be mobilised to identify, locate, and stop them before more lives are lost.”

The OPC’s warning comes as Nigerians continue to grapple with rising attacks in different parts of the country. The group emphasised that failure to act decisively now could destabilise not just the South-West, but the country as a whole.

culled from vanguard