Woro Abduction: Kwara PDP Commends Kaiama Residents For Peacefully Demanding Urgent Rescue Action To Free Victims

Kwara State PDP on Friday saluted what it called ‘the courage and uncommon patriotism’ displayed by the people of Kaiama, Woro and surrounding communities who marched peacefully in their thousands to demand the rescue of 179 residents of Woro who have remained in captivity since February.

The Kwara State Government, the party submitted, has ‘remained disturbingly silent as though the lives of these innocent citizens no longer matter’.

The party in a statement issued in Ilorin on Friday and made available to Team@orientctualmags.com by the state Publicity Secretary, Mr Olusegun Olusola Adewara noted that Kaiama protesters carrying placards and appealing directly to President Bola Tinubu for intervention was a vote of no confidence in Governor AbdulRazaq’s leadership.

‘It is crystal clear that when citizens no longer look up to their governor in moments of pain but bypass him to seek help directly from the president in Abuja, it simply means they no longer believe the governor’s capacity or will to fight for them.

The PDP condemns Governor AbdulRazaq’s continued silence and absence from the responsibility entrusted to him by Kwara people. President Tinubu’s efforts to tackle insecurity can only produce meaningful results when complemented by proactive governors who constantly engage security agencies, coordinate intelligence, mobilize local support and reassure affected communities. Sadly, that has not been the experience in Kwara under Governor AbdulRazaq’s absentee leadership.

While the president remains the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, every responsible governor is expected to provide leadership, coordinate security efforts, constantly engage security agencies, reassure affected communities and become the loudest advocate for the safety of his people.

Sadly, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has remained largely invisible while families of the Woro victims and other victims continue to endure unimaginable suffering.

More than five months after the Woro 179 were abducted, the governor owes the people an explanation. How many times has the governor personally met with the families of the victims to reassure them that his government has not abandoned them? What concrete rescue strategy has the Kwara State Government unveiled since these innocent citizens were taken into captivity? What high-level security coordination meetings has the governor convened since February to drive and monitor rescue efforts and beyond occasional social media statements, what concrete support has the Kwara State Government provided for families whose loved ones have remained in the hands of bandits since February?

It is therefore no surprise that the protesters directed their appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. While the President continues to strengthen the nation’s security architecture, the people of Kaiama have demonstrated that they no longer have confidence that the Kwara State Government is providing the leadership required to complement those efforts. That is the unfortunate consequence of a government that has remained largely invisible while its citizens languish in captivity.

Beyond partisan politics,  we make bold to say Mr President has continued to strengthen the nation’s security architecture through increased funding to federating states, deployment of security personnel, acquisition of military assets and renewed directives to security agencies to confront criminal elements across the country, the same cannot be said of Governor AbdulRazaq, whose lack of visible leadership at home continues to undermine the Federal Government efforts in Kwara State’ the statement said.

Lamenting the ‘distressing situation’ of families of the victims since February, Kwara State PDP said ‘the people themselves have demonstrated that they no longer have confidence that the Kwara State Government can secure the freedom of their loved ones. If they did, they would naturally have directed their demands first to the Government House in Ilorin instead of appealing almost entirely to the ‘residency.  Nothing exposes the failure of leadership more than a people who no longer see their own governor as their first source of hope’.-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you