Lafiagi kidnapping protest erupts after abduction of top dealer, prompting youths to burn Emir’s palace and NDLEA office over rising insecurity

The Lafiagi kidnapping protest spiralled into violence on Monday as enraged youths in Kwara State set fire to the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi and the local office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), following the abduction of a prominent trader in the area.

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Tension erupted in the Lafiagi community, headquarters of Edu Local Government Area, after gunmen suspected to be bandits abducted Alhaji Chemical, a popular agro-chemical dealer, from his home around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday.

The attackers reportedly arrived on motorcycles and unleashed heavy gunfire to overpower local vigilantes before seizing the businessman in the Taiwo area of the town.

Eyewitnesses say the operation was precise and clearly targeted, fuelling suspicion that the victim’s high profile made him a specific mark.

Outraged by the rising wave of insecurity, local youths took to the streets early Monday, blocking major roads with burning tyres and demanding swift government intervention. The demonstration soon turned violent.

In one viral video, a protester lamented, “The situation is getting out of hand. We can’t sleep with our eyes closed anymore. People are being taken almost weekly now.”

Protesters also cited the recent abduction of a point-of-sale operator as evidence of a worsening security crisis in the region.

In the course of the protest, angry youths stormed and torched the NDLEA office in Lafiagi, freeing four detainees in the process.

The palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, Oba Sa’adu Kawu Haliru, was also vandalised, with windows shattered and parts of the building set ablaze.

Confirming the incident, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said that he was on ground in Lafiagi alongside the Brigade Commander of 22 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ilorin.

Speaking to journalists, Ojo said, “The protest was hijacked by miscreants who went beyond expressing concern and instead carried out criminal damage. They destroyed louvres in the Emir’s palace, burned the NDLEA office, and released suspects from custody.”

He added, “The police, army, hunters, and local vigilantes are currently combing the forests in and around Lafiagi in search of the abducted victim. The Brigade Commander has already addressed the community to calm tensions.”

Despite heavy security presence in the area, the community remains on edge as residents demand the arrest of the culprits and the return of the abducted businessman.

It would be recalled that just last week, the Kwara Police Command confirmed the abduction of a 12-year-old girl, Hassana Abdullahi, in Lile village.

Three people were also killed in Mari village in Patigi Local Government Area on Wednesday.

Security analysts warn that if left unchecked, the recurring attacks could provoke deeper unrest and further erode public confidence in state authorities.

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For now, the Lafiagi kidnapping protest stands as a loud signal of community frustration, underscoring the urgent need for improved security in Nigeria’s rural areas.