“Kwara is a National Emergency!” Saraki Begs Tinubu to Save the ‘Gateway State’ from Becoming a Terrorist Haven

Former Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has raised a red flag over the “unprecedented” bloodbath in Kwara State, urging President Bola Tinubu to personally lead a federal intervention to prevent the state from collapsing into a permanent war zone.

In a somber statement released on Wednesday, Saraki described the Tuesday massacre in the Woro and Nuku communities of Kaiama where over 100 residents were reportedly slaughtered by extremists as a “national disaster.” He argued that the current wave of violence has overwhelmed the Kwara State government’s resources and now requires the direct “muscle” of the Commander-in-Chief.

“What these criminals did in Woro was to wage war against Nigeria,” Saraki declared. “Kwara State is too strategic for this country to allow insurgency to gain ground. It is the gateway between our North and South; if it falls, the entire national security framework is jeopardized.”

The former Governor’s plea includes a specific tactical request: the immediate deployment of the 2nd Mechanised Infantry Division from Ibadan to set up permanent forward operating bases in the troubled districts. Saraki warned that Kwara is increasingly being used as a “refuge” by terrorists fleeing military operations in neighboring states, and only a coordinated, inter-agency sweep can flush them out.

While calling for federal boots on the ground, Saraki isn’t just watching from the sidelines. This week, he dispatched a high-powered delegation to 19 communities across the state that have been deserted due to banditry. The team, led by PDP State Treasurer Rev. COS Fawenu, has been distributing financial aid to displaced families and supporting traditional rulers who have remained in their palaces despite being targeted by kidnappers.

“Kwara has always been the ‘State of Harmony,'” Saraki lamented. “To see it turned into a killing field where villagers are executed for refusing to pay illegal taxes is heartbreaking. We must not limit our reaction to press comments; we must win this war without delay.”