The ancient agrarian settlement of Oreke-Okegbo in Ile-Ire District of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State, has sent an urgent “Save Our Soul” appeal to the Federal Government, security agencies, and human rights bodies over what they describe as “a siege by criminal elements” that has left residents in fear, farmlands deserted, and lives lost.
In a petition addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and key security stakeholders, the community recounted harrowing incidents that have unfolded in recent months, ranging from brutal killings to high-profile abductions.
According to the letter signed “The People of Oreke-Okegbo,” the wave of insecurity has claimed innocent lives, including the recent killing of Alfa Ismaila Baba Ibrahim, who was murdered despite paying money to the criminals, while his son, Sule Ismaila, was kidnapped.
The statement also alleged the abduction of a high-ranking community chief for whom millions of naira were paid as ransom, lamenting that the attackers have disrupted farming and schooling activities, leaving the once-thriving settlement desolate.
“Our people are fleeing. Homes are deserted, farms are abandoned, schools are empty. A land once filled with the sounds of children and harvest is now gripped by fear and silence,” the petition read.
They called for an urgent and sustained security intervention, thorough investigation and prosecution of perpetrators, and government support to help displaced residents return to their homes.
The community insisted that they are peace-loving farmers and traders with no history of militancy or rebellion, adding that they have been left with “nothing but our voices” in the face of worsening insecurity.
Human rights organisations, civil society groups, and well-meaning Nigerians were also urged to rally behind the call for justice and protection.
Political analysts say the situation, if unchecked, could mirror the kind of rural banditry that has ravaged other parts of the North, and stressed the importance of proactive intervention by the government and security agencies.
The Kwara State Government was yet to issue an official reaction as of press time, but Governor Ademola Adeleke of neighbouring Osun State, known for his strong stance on grassroots security, has repeatedly urged stakeholders across the South West and North Central to adopt community-driven intelligence gathering as part of a broader rural security framework.ore
For now, the people of Oreke-Okegbo wait in hope, their appeal hanging in the air: “Save our soul. Save Oreke-Okegbo.”
