Residents of Lafiagi in the Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State staged a violent protest on Monday, decrying the rising wave of terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and killings plaguing their communities. The protesters, mostly young residents, took to the streets, demanding an end to the bloodshed and abductions, which they claim have been ignored by government officials and traditional leaders.

The situation escalated as the enraged youths set fire to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) office in Lafiagi and vandalized the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, smashing windows and damaging parts of the royal building. “We have been crying and dying in silence,” a resident lamented. “People are being kidnapped every week. We don’t sleep with our two eyes closed anymore, and nobody — not the governor, not the chairman, not even the Emir — is doing anything about it.”

The protests followed a string of recent abductions in the area, including the kidnapping of a popular Point of Sale (POS) agent known as Yman, who was abducted on Sunday night in Lafiagi town. Two other victims, both Hausa men, were also taken during a violent raid on Kokodo village early Monday morning. A young girl narrowly escaped capture by fleeing into nearby bushes.

A protester described the unrest as a culmination of bottled-up anger, saying, “We’ve endured these attacks for too long. Our leaders have failed us. Nothing tangible is being done.” The protests intensified following the recent abduction of a prominent agro-chemical dealer popularly known as Alhaji Chemical, who was kidnapped from his residence in the Taiwo area of Lafiagi on Sunday.

The attackers, suspected to be Fulani bandits, stormed the community on motorcycles and overpowered local vigilantes with advanced weapons before escaping with their victim. As of press time, security personnel had been deployed to restore order, but the Kwara State Government and traditional council are yet to issue any official statement regarding the incident or the fate of the kidnapped victims.