Policeman Abducted in Kwara Amid Rising Banditry Fears

A police officer, Ezra John, attached to the Lade Division in the Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, was abducted by gunmen in the early hours of Thursday, an incident that has amplified resident’s fears over the growing insecurity in the region. The officer was reportedly seized along the Patigi–Lade road, a route increasingly notorious for criminal attacks, while returning to his base from official duty at the Patigi General Hospital.

Dependable NG reports that the Kwara State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that the officer’s motorcycle was discovered abandoned by the roadside. The Command’s spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, assured the public that the police have immediately activated tactical teams and launched a comprehensive manhunt for the officer and his captors, vowing to leave “no stone unturned” to ensure his safe rescue and the perpetrators’ arrest. Ejire-Adeyemi also called on residents to be vigilant and support the search operations by reporting any suspicious movements to security agencies.

The abduction highlights the severe security challenges facing Patigi and its adjoining communities, coming just days after Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, had publicly declared that “nowhere” in the state would be safe for criminal elements, including kidnappers. The Governor had spoken following a security council meeting, asserting that the state would fight insecurity with all available resources to “smoke out and eliminate the criminals from their hideouts.” The latest incident, however, underscores the immediate and daunting task facing security forces in translating that promise into tangible safety for the populace.