BREAKING: Emir’s Palace, NDLEA office set ablaze as protest rocks Kwara
Widespread frustration over worsening insecurity in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, boiled over on Monday as angry residents staged a violent protest, setting ablaze the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) office and vandalising the Emir’s palace.
The protest, led largely by irate youths, was a response to what they described as government failure to address the surge in terrorism, kidnappings, and killings plaguing the community.
In video footage circulating online, the demonstrators were seen chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with bold messages demanding immediate intervention to end the bloodshed and abductions that have disrupted life in the area.
“We have been crying and dying in silence,” one of the protesters lamented in the video. “People are kidnapped every week. We cannot sleep with both eyes closed anymore. Yet, the governor, the chairman, even the Emir — nobody is doing anything.”
The tension reportedly escalated as demonstrators moved towards key government buildings. Eyewitnesses confirmed that the NDLEA facility was set on fire, while parts of the Emir’s palace, including windows and sections of the structure, were vandalised by the furious crowd.
Community sources said the protest was the result of months of pent-up anger over repeated attacks and the authorities’ failure to respond effectively.
“The youths have reached their breaking point. The attacks keep increasing, and the government has done nothing concrete,” a local source told DAILY POST.
The Lafiagi community and surrounding areas have been gripped by a series of abductions in recent weeks. Several residents are still being held captive by kidnappers, with families reportedly paying large sums in ransom to secure their release.
The latest abduction incident occurred on Sunday, when three Fulani women were reportedly kidnapped in the area.
The situation remains tense as residents await concrete government action to address the security crisis.
