A protest by residents of Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, took a grave turn when an enraged mob set ablaze the palace of the local chief as well as office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Residents had taken to the streets on Monday to protest against what they described as worsening insecurity in their communities, including repeated cases of terrorism, kidnapping and killings in the area.
According to the protesters who were mostly youths, the government’s inaction in the face of continued violence is quiet frustrating.
They were seen in a video clip chanting solidarity songs and waving placards, demanding urgent intervention to curb the bloodshed and abductions disrupting daily life.
The irate youths set fire to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, office in Lafiagi and vandalised the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, smashing windows and damaging parts of the building.
In a video clip which had gone viral, one of the protesters could be heard saying, “we have been crying and dying in silence.
“People are being kidnapped every week. We don’t sleep with both eyes closed anymore, and nobody, neither the governor, the chairman, nor even the Emir, is doing anything about it.”
The protest, sources said, was triggered by accumulated anger over persistent attacks and lack of effective response from local and state authorities.
“The youths are exhausted, and there has been no concrete action from the government,” a source stated. “The frequency of attacks has increased, which is why the protest erupted today.”
The unrest reportedly escalated as protesters moved toward key government buildings, including security agency offices.
Eyewitnesses said, the NDLEA facility was set ablaze during the demonstration.
Truthlive News learnt that Lafiagi and neighbouring communities have experienced several abductions in recent weeks, with multiple residents still being held captive.
Families of the victims have reportedly paid substantial ransoms to secure the release of their loved ones.
Three Fulani women were said to have been abducted a day before the protest.