By Akinwale Kasali
There was pandemonium in Kwara State, as angry youths set ablaze the office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in Lafiagi, Kwara State.
The youths further stormed the Palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, vandalized it and set parts of it ablaze.
The reason for the youths is the growing insecurity in the State.
The protest erupted in response to rising cases of kidnapping and killings by suspected bandits.
The youths in the Community expressed their displeasure over what they described as government inaction and neglect to the state challenges.
At the NDLEA office in Lafiagi, the youths razed it down, vandalizing the Emir’s Palace, smashing windows and forcing their way into the premises.
One of the Youths who spoke in the video that went viral, saying: “We have been crying and dying in silence. People are being kidnapped every week. We don’t sleep with our two eyes closed anymore, and nobody, not the Governor, not the Chairman, not even the Emir, is doing anything about it.”
Another protester said the demonstration was a result of long-standing anger over the unending attacks perpetrated by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
“The youths are tired. Our leaders are not helping us. The attacks are worsening and we’re left to defend ourselves,” he added.
Meanwhile, sources within the community confirmed the protest, stating that multiple security buildings and traditional structures were targeted during the protest.
“Protesters went to the Emir’s Palace and stormed some security agency offices. The NDLEA office was torched,” one source disclosed.
The protest is coming on the heels of fresh kidnappings in the area with three people abducted in two separate attacks within a 12-hour window.
A well-known Point of Sale (POS) operator named, Yman was said to have been kidnapped in Lafiagi on Sunday night, while two Hausa men were seized during an early morning raid on Kokodo village on Monday, June 30, 2025.
“The attacks are becoming too rampant,” a source said.
Another stated that, “As we speak, no one has heard from the kidnappers, but security operatives and vigilantes have been mobilized for a rescue operation.”
It was gathered that this latest unrest comes just days after Alhaji Chemical, a popular agrochemical dealer, was abducted from his Taiwo residence in Lafiagi town by armed men who overpowered local vigilantes before escaping on motorcycles.
The NDLEA is yet to issue a statement on this development, likewise the Kwara State Government.
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