Lafiagi, the headquarters of Edu Local Government Area in Kwara State, was thrown into chaos on Monday as angry youths torched the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi and the office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in protest against the growing spate of kidnappings in the area.
The unrest followed the recent abduction of a well-known agro-chemical dealer, popularly known as Alhaji Chemical, who was reportedly taken from his residence in the Taiwo area of the town around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. Eyewitnesses say gunmen suspected to be bandits stormed the area on motorcycles and overwhelmed local vigilantes with heavy gunfire before whisking away the businessman.
The latest abduction triggered widespread outrage, with residents staging protests earlier in the day. Demonstrators blocked major roads, burned tyres, and called for immediate government intervention. The situation escalated when protesters later set fire to the Emir’s palace and the NDLEA office. A viral video from the protest showed residents citing the recent kidnapping of a Point of Sale (POS) operator as further evidence of deteriorating security in the community.
“This situation is getting out of hand,” a resident said in the video. “People are being kidnapped almost every week. We no longer sleep with our eyes closed.”
The community is now calling on security agencies to intensify patrols, apprehend the culprits, and ensure the safe return of those abducted.
Confirming the incident, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said he visited Lafiagi on Monday alongside the Brigade Commander of 22 Brigade, Sobi Barracks, Ilorin. He described the protesters as “miscreants,” noting that they shattered louvre windows in the Emir’s palace and set the NDLEA office on fire.
According to him, the attackers also freed four suspects being held in custody at the NDLEA facility before fleeing upon sighting security forces. He added that a combined team of police officers, soldiers, hunters, and vigilantes had since launched a manhunt in the surrounding bushes for the abductors and their victims.
The recent wave of abductions has sparked fear among residents, who say such incidents have become alarmingly frequent in the once-peaceful community.
