On Monday, Inspector General of Police Tunji Disu promised that security forces would reclaim villages in Kwara State from criminal groups, reassuring locals that increased operations were in progress to bring about peace and safeguard lives and property.
Disu made the statement in Ilorin while addressing security stakeholders and Nigeria Police Force operatives during his first official visit to the state since his appointment as police chief.
He emphasized that sustained security efforts will restore communities affected by violent crimes and banditry.
“I want to charge you for more operations. These criminals cannot chase us out of our hometown. We are the owners of the town, and we will not allow that to happen.
“We have to take back our homes and take back our communities,” he said.
According to Disu, the purpose of his visit was to encourage operatives to step up their operations against criminal organizations and to reinforce ongoing security measures.
The police chief emphasized that community participation is still essential in combating insecurity and urged residents to assist security authorities with reliable and timely intelligence.
He also warned against ethnic profiling, stressing that criminal activities should not be attributed to any ethnic group.
He recognized the Fulani intelligence network’s contribution, pointing out that earlier operations had benefited from their collaboration.
“That is why I am here to tell you that all of us are going to take back our communities.
“I am happy that we have many Fulani people assisting us with our jobs. I say it with all authority, not all Fulani are bad. We have good Fulani who have been our neighbors for thousands of years,” Disu said.
Representatives of the group assured continued support for security agencies, assuring the police hierarchy of their readiness to provide timely intelligence to expose criminal hideouts.
They claimed that peaceful Fulani residents would not permit criminal groups to damage their reputation and that they remained dedicated to coexisting with host communities.
In order to quickly dismantle criminal networks, the group also called for increased cooperation between local communities and security agencies.
The state Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, stated that the IGP’s visit had strengthened officers’ morale and reinforced ongoing security operations in the state.
“We thank God that he is here today as the Inspector-General of Police. We can practically say he loves Kwara State and made a vow to visit us first after becoming the IGP,” Ojo said.
Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq welcomed the IG at the Government House in Ilorin earlier.
Kwara State, once considered relatively peaceful compared with Nigeria’s northern security hot spots, has in recent years experienced a significant rise in banditry, kidnappings, and violent attacks that have destabilised many rural communities. Between January and early November 2025, at least 207 people were killed and 177 abducted in the state, with the highest number of incidents in rural local government areas such as Ifelodun, Pategi, Kaima, Irepodun and Osin.
Residents’ fear were heightened earlier in the year when several attacks were reported in Woro and its suburbs communities.
These areas are risk zones with no official security presence because armed groups have used unmonitored bush pathways, dense forest, and inadequate road networks to launch attacks.
