On Thursday, February 26, 2026, thousands of young protesters from Kwara North marched to the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin, expressing outrage over the escalating insecurity ravaging communities across the region. The demonstration, which carried into statements reported today, Friday, February 27, saw youths under the banner of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement and other civil society groups demand immediate government action to curb the rising tide of kidnappings, killings, and bandit attacks that have left residents living in fear.
The protesters, mainly drawn from the Edu, Patigi, and Kaiama Local Government Areas — areas that have borne the brunt of repeated attacks — carried placards with inscriptions such as “Our region is under attack,” “Security for Kwara North Now,” and “Stop the killings, protect our communities.” The demonstrators walked through major streets of Ilorin, chanting slogans and calling attention to what they described as “a humanitarian crisis unfolding in silence.”
Addressing journalists at the Government House gate, the coordinator of the coalition, Usman Haruna, said the protest was not politically driven but a desperate response to persistent violence. He stressed that communities in Kwara North have become unsafe for ordinary citizens, with families fearful of farming, trading, and sending their children to school for fear of abduction or death. Haruna said that the attacks, especially in communities like Woro and Gbugbu, have displaced hundreds of residents and disrupted social and economic life.
“Night after night, gunshots and kidnappings have become the new normal in our villages,” Haruna lamented. “Our people are living in fear, and we can no longer tolerate being ignored. The government must act decisively before more innocent lives are lost.”
The protesters also criticised the state government’s previous decision to relocate some internally displaced persons (IDPs) from insecure communities into already volatile areas, arguing that it could place more lives at risk. One placard read: “If Ilorin can host corps members, it can also host IDPs — but don’t send them to danger zones.”
In recent months, Kwara North has witnessed a surge in banditry and terror attacks that have killed dozens and left communities traumatised. According to various reports, mass killings in villages like Woro and Nuku earlier this year claimed more than 160 lives in a single assault, highlighting the severity of the threat.
The protesters called for enhanced security presence, better intelligence gathering, and a clear strategy on how the state government plans to protect civilians. They also asked for compensation for victims’ families, medical support for the injured, and initiatives to rebuild destroyed homes.
As of Friday evening, officials from the Kwara State Government had not issued a formal response to the demands, but political analysts say the demonstration underscores growing frustration with insecurity in northern Nigeria and may influence future policy decisions ahead of the 2027 elections.