Saraki Slams Kwara Government Over Rising Insecurity

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has criticised the handling of security in Kwara State, saying the government has not been proactive in addressing the worsening insecurity in the state.

Saraki made the remarks during an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP, where he compared the current security challenges in Kwara to earlier years when he served as governor, noting that the situation has significantly deteriorated.

He said available facts clearly indicate a decline in security performance in the state.

“I think security issues should not be politicised in any manner, but the facts are there. I’m not manufacturing the facts; you are not manufacturing them, you are reporting what you see. And the facts clearly show there has been a serious deterioration in the security situation in the state.

“From the time I was governor, 2003 to 2011, and even to the time my successor governed from 2011 to 2019, it was not like this.”

Saraki questioned what had changed in the state’s security architecture, suggesting that insecurity had worsened across parts of the country but had become more pronounced in Kwara.

“So the question is, what has changed? Is it that the insecurity in the country has gotten worse in that area? But if you compare to Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Benin, Kwara was not like this before now. Never, never seen it. So, to me, it’s clear that the government did not keep their eye on the ball,” he said.

According to him, effective security management requires prevention and consistent engagement with security agencies rather than reactive responses.

“When you talk about security, it’s not what you do after it has occurred, it’s what you do to prevent it from occurring. I know when I was governor, what we used to do, to be on top of the game, and the kind of interaction we used to have with the security agents. We used to have regular security council meetings, regular. Not security meeting under a tree, just to show optics. Regularly engaging with the security agencies,” he said.

Saraki also suggested that armed groups exploit weak governance structures across states, shifting operations to areas with less resistance.

“So, what I think has happened is that the bandits have looked at places of least resistance. Because at the end of the day, some have moved. They used to be bad, maybe in Sokoto, Kebi. Then they moved to Niger. Then they now looked at where is the government not upping its game. I mean, places like kwara, which used to be a place where it was seen as safe and secure.”

He added that government had failed to respond adequately to emerging threats.

“So, clearly, the government has missed that one. And that’s clear. But when you speak like this, instead of them to accept the failure, and see it for what it is. They will say it’s because you’re on the opposition and that’s not it. Kwara has never seen this level of insecurity since its creation. Never in the history of the state. But honestly, it’s unfortunate that we find ourselves here,” he said.

Saraki, however, called for a more accountable and people-oriented government capable of restoring peace and stability in the state.

“That is why we are hoping that in Kwara, we bring in a proper, accountable, dynamic, people-oriented government that will be able to push out these bandits and restore peace and stability,” he added.