ADC Chieftain Unveils Six Point Roadmap to Tackle Kidnapping, Banditry in Kwara
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Professor Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia, has unveiled a six point security roadmap aimed at tackling the rising cases of kidnapping and banditry in Kwara State. This is just as he warned that more than 200 residents are currently in captivity across affected communities. In a policy address to […]
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Professor Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia, has unveiled a six point security roadmap aimed at tackling the rising cases of kidnapping and banditry in Kwara State.
This is just as he warned that more than 200 residents are currently in captivity across affected communities.
In a policy address to the people of the state during a chat with Daily Trust, Ajia who is also a security expert and public policy advocate, described the worsening insecurity in rural and border areas as a growing threat to livelihoods and public safety.
He noted that attacks on farmers, traders, and families have become frequent.
“Across our rural communities and especially in our border areas, local banditry and low intensity terrorism are no longer distant warnings. They are now daily realities,” he said.
He said the scale of abductions in the state reflects a deepening crisis, stressing that those held captive are not mere figures but citizens whose lives remain at risk.
“These are not statistics. These are fathers, mothers, children, breadwinners. Their lives matter and their safety must be treated as an urgent priority,” Ajia added.
The ADC chieftain criticised the “lack of urgency in responding to the situation”, insisting that leadership must demonstrate responsibility during periods of crisis.
“At a time when hundreds of Kwarans remain in kidnappers’ custody, leadership must not be seen to carry on as usual. Leadership is not convenience but responsibility,” he said.
Ajia argued that the security challenge in the state goes beyond routine policing, describing it as a structural issue driven by porous borders, weak intelligence coordination, and the neglect of rural communities.
“This is a corridor problem, a border problem, a rural abandonment problem, and an intelligence coordination problem. Unless we treat it as such, it will continue,” he noted.
He said his proposed framework, tagged the Kwara Rural Security and Recovery Compact, is built on six pillars designed to deliver both immediate protection and long term stability.
According to him, the plan prioritises the identification and monitoring of movement corridors used by criminal elements, particularly across vulnerable local government areas including Kaiama, Baruten, Edu, Patigi, Ifelodun, and parts of Kwara South.
“Security must meet criminals before they reach our villages, not after,” he said.
Ajia also proposed the establishment of community based security clusters equipped with rapid response systems, communication hubs, and emergency coordination mechanisms to improve response time during attacks.
He called for the reform and professionalisation of forest protection units, noting that ungoverned forest areas have become safe havens for criminal groups.
“Our forests cannot remain ungoverned spaces. Forest guards must be trained, equipped, and properly integrated into formal security structures,” he stated.
On kidnapping, he described the crime as an organised enterprise sustained by informants and logistics networks, calling for a coordinated strategy to dismantle the system.
“Kidnapping today is a business model. It must be dismantled system by system, not incident by incident,” he said.
Ajia further linked insecurity to declining agricultural activities, warning that abandoned farmlands and disrupted markets could worsen economic conditions in the state.
He proposed a secure farming initiative to guarantee protected access to farms, particularly during planting and harvest seasons.
“When farmers abandon their land, insecurity spreads. Protecting farmers means protecting Kwara’s future,” he said.
He stressed the need for government support for victims and displaced persons, including livelihood recovery and community rebuilding, noting that restoring trust is critical to restoring security.
“Government must respond not only to attacks but to the consequences of attacks,” he said.
Ajia called for immediate and coordinated efforts to secure the release of those currently in captivity, urging sustained operational pressure and transparency.
“This is not the time for silence or routine but for decisive coordination,” he said.
He also expressed concern over “insufficient urgency from key political actors”, insisting that citizens deserve active advocacy and a clear security roadmap.
“At a time like this, our people deserve advocacy, coordination, and pressure for action. What we are seeing instead is political positioning without a security roadmap,” he said.
He added that lasting security must be supported by functional governance, including improved infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.
“Security is not only about force. It is about systems that work and protect people,” Ajia added.
On the ADC, the US-based professor said the focus is on building the party, stressing that every aspiration must be built on a solid foundation.
“We are not after running for one particular office or the other. We want to bring together all these people who came from Labour, APC, PDP and Kwankwasiyya.
“Incidentally, we have been able to form our state executive, although there are still one or two positions that need to be harmonised.
“But this is healthy rivalry and as we do that, we need to strengthen our structures and take that energy to Abuja as one united Kwara delegation at the national convention,” he added.