The legal community and residents of Kwara State have been thrown into deep concern following the reported abduction of Barrister Elizabeth Arinde, the Head of the Legal Department at Oke Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Barrister Arinde’s abduction, which occurred on Friday, April 25, 2025, comes just one week after the Kwara State Police Command confirmed the kidnapping of seven travellers along the Obbo-Aiyegunle/Osi Road in Ekiti Local Government Area.
In that incident, armed hoodlums reportedly intercepted a Sienna bus en route from Abuja to Offa and abducted seven occupants, including the driver.
Similarly, within the past week, Baruten Local Government Area witnessed two coordinated attacks, leaving several people dead and deepening fears about the security situation across Kwara State.
Barrister Arinde was abducted alongside the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) of Oke Ero Local Government while traveling from Oke Ero to Ilorin, the state capital. Efforts to contact Barrister Arinde through her known phone number, 080******69, have been unsuccessful, raising heightened concern over her safety.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin Branch, SMH Kosemani Esq., issued a statement urging the public to share information about the abduction widely to aid rescue efforts.
He also called for prayers for her safe and speedy return.
“We are deeply concerned to inform you that Barrister Elizabeth Arinde, Head of the Legal Department at Oke Ero Local Government, has been kidnapped. Please share this information widely to aid in her rescue and pray for her safe return,” he stated.
Authorities have since called on residents to remain vigilant and to collaborate with security agencies working to secure the safe release of Barrister Arinde and the Deputy Permanent Secretary.
Fresh Kidnap Incident Confirmed in Isanlu-Isin
In another development, the Kwara State Police Command confirmed a separate kidnap incident on Friday, April 25, 2025, at Eleyin village, Isanlu-Isin, in Isin Local Government Area.
According to a statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, about five armed men blocked the highway at around 5:45 p.m., intercepting two private vehicles and abducting their occupants.
Prompt intervention by the police, the military, and local vigilante groups led to the rescue of two victims, identified as Ganiyu Ajayi and Kolawole Adeyemi.
Efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
The Police Command assured the public of intensified security measures, including aggressive bush combing, intelligence-led operations, and strategic patrols aimed at curbing further incidents of violence across the state.
CDHR Raises Alarm Over Escalating Insecurity
Meanwhile, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in Kwara State.
In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka, the CDHR charged the state government and security agencies to double their efforts in curbing the rising spate of killings, kidnappings, and terrorist activities.
The CDHR lamented that residents of Kwara communities are now living in fear, citing reports of a new terrorist group named “Mahmouda” allegedly operating in Baruten and Kaiama local government areas.
In recent attacks, seven people — including four Fulani residents, a vigilante, and a 19-year-old youth — were reportedly killed by gunmen dressed in military camouflage who stormed market squares and opened fire indiscriminately.
In addition to the recent Baruten and Kaiama attacks, the abduction of travellers on Obbo-Aiyegunle Road and the kidnapping of Barrister Arinde have further underscored the fragile security situation in the state.
The CDHR warned: “We must not allow Kwara to become another Sambisa Forest. We call on the state government, security agencies, and all stakeholders to synergize and take proactive measures to restore peace and security. Kwara has historically been one of the most peaceful states in North-Central Nigeria, and urgent action is needed to preserve that legacy.”
The group further urged the state government to empower local security operatives with the necessary resources and intelligence support, arguing that local forces possess a better understanding of the terrain and can more effectively counter criminal activities.
In their concluding remarks, the CDHR stressed that a stitch in time saves nine, calling for swift, coordinated action to prevent further deterioration of security in Kwara State.
As insecurity continues to rear its head across Kwara State, the abductions and killings have become a chilling reminder that urgent, decisive steps are needed to safeguard lives and restore peace. Residents, civil society groups, and professional bodies alike are united in their calls for a renewed commitment to security and stability across the state.
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Jimoh Taofik
Taofik is a Mass Communication lecturer, trained journalist, freelancer, editor, researcher, corporate communications and public relations expert. He has Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State and currently a Bsc student in the same discipline at Summit University, Offa, Kwara State. Taofik teaches Mass Communication at the Polytechnic, Ojoku, Kwara State. He is a guest-contributor for PIJAlance Magazine.