Kwara groups hail Tinubu over approval of Army battalion

Two socio-political groups in Kwara South Senatorial District have commended President Bola Tinubu over the establishment of an Army battalion in Omu-Aran, describing the development as a major boost to security in the area.

The groups – the Kwara South Consultative Forum and Aro Meta Kwara South said the military formation would strengthen security operations in communities affected by banditry and kidnapping, particularly in Ifelodun, Ekiti, Oke-Ero and Isin Local Government Areas.

In separate statements issued on Saturday, the groups noted that the affected councils share boundaries with the Oro Forest Reserve and Oreke Hill, which they described as hideouts for criminal gangs operating within and around Kwara South.

The Secretary-General of the Kwara South Consultative Forum, Engr. Otunba Daramola Adebayo Simon, described the approval of the battalion as a historic milestone that would reinforce the region’s security architecture.

He said the deployment of the military formation would enhance efforts to combat kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.

“This monumental development will go a long way in strengthening security across Kwara South, especially in Ifelodun, Ekiti, Oke-Ero and Isin Local Government Areas that border the Oro Forest Reserve and Oreke Hill, where bandits have established hideouts to perpetrate criminal activities,” he said.

The forum also praised Tinubu for what it described as his commitment to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges through strategic investments in security infrastructure.

It acknowledged the role of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Chief of Army Staff in facilitating the establishment of the military formation.

According to the group, the battalion would improve public safety, encourage farmers to return to their farmlands and create a more conducive environment for investment and economic activities across the senatorial district.

Similarly, the Aro Meta Kwara South described the approval as a timely intervention that would strengthen security operations in communities vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.

The group said the approval reflected Tinubu’s determination to confront the country’s security challenges.

“This milestone is highly commendable, apt and appropriate. It reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening national security and ensuring that vulnerable communities receive the protection they deserve,” the statement read in parts.

It further commended Governor AbdulRazaq and the Chief of Army Staff for their roles in actualising the project, while expressing optimism that the new battalion would help curb criminal activities across Kwara South.

Arewa PidomNigeria reports that the approval came amid persistent security concerns in parts of Kwara South, where communities bordering forest reserves have witnessed repeated incidents of kidnapping and banditry attacks, prompting sustained calls for increased military presence in the area.