The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, on Monday assured residents of Kwara State that security agencies would intensify efforts to drive out criminal groups and restore peace in affected communities.
Disu gave the assurance in Ilorin while addressing security stakeholders and officers of the Nigeria Police Force during his first official visit to the state since assuming office as police chief.
He told officers that communities troubled by banditry and violent crime would be recovered through sustained security operations.
“I want to challenge you to intensify operations. Criminals cannot force us out of our own communities. We belong here, and we will not allow that to happen,” he said. “We must take back our homes and our communities.”
The police chief explained that the visit was aimed at strengthening ongoing security operations in the state and encouraging officers to step up the fight against criminal gangs.
Disu also appealed to residents to support security agencies by providing credible and timely information, stressing that cooperation from local communities remains crucial to tackling insecurity.
He warned against blaming crimes on any particular ethnic group, noting that criminality should not be linked to ethnicity.
The IGP acknowledged the support received from members of the Fulani community, saying intelligence from them had assisted security operations in the past.
“I am pleased that many Fulani people are assisting us with our work. Let me say clearly: not all Fulani are bad. Many have lived peacefully with their neighbours for generations and are helping security agencies,” he said.
Representatives of the Fulani community present at the meeting pledged their continued cooperation with law enforcement agencies. They assured the police leadership of their willingness to provide information that could help identify criminal hideouts.
They also emphasised that law-abiding Fulani residents are committed to peaceful coexistence with their host communities and would not allow criminals to damage their reputation.
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said the IGP’s visit had boosted the morale of officers and reinforced the security operations currently underway in the state.
“We appreciate his visit today as the Inspector-General of Police. It shows his concern for Kwara State, and we are encouraged by his commitment to addressing the security challenges here,” Ojo said.
Earlier in the day, Disu paid a courtesy visit to the Government House in Ilorin, where he was received by Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq.
Kwara State, once regarded as relatively calm compared with many northern regions, has in recent years witnessed a rise in bandit attacks, kidnappings and other violent incidents that have unsettled several rural communities.
Reports indicate that between January and early November 2025, at least 207 people were killed and 177 abducted in various attacks across the state. Many of the incidents occurred in rural local government areas such as Ifelodun, Pategi, Kaima, Irepodun and Osin.
Residents of Woro and surrounding communities also reported fresh attacks earlier this year, raising concerns about safety in the area.
Security experts say armed groups often take advantage of thick forests, poor road networks and poorly monitored bush paths to stage attacks, leaving many remote communities with limited security presence.
