NYSC Camp Relocation, Kara Markets Shutdown Expose Collapse of Security in Kwara under Gov Abdulrazaq — KAI
The Kwara Advancement Initiatives (KAI), a non-political civil society and pro-democracy group, condemns in the strongest terms the recent relocation of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp from its permanent site in Yipata, Edu Local Government Area, to the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, and the abrupt closure of all Kara (cattle) markets across Kwara South over insecurity concerns.
These two disturbing developments strike at the very heart of our state’s security, economy, and future. They represent a loud testimony to the gross failure of leadership under Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who has abandoned his constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property. When a state cannot host a national institution like the NYSC camp in its permanent location and cannot guarantee the safe operation of community markets that feed thousands of households, it is clear that governance has collapsed.
For months, insecurity has escalated across Kwara. In the North, communities in Edu and Patigi are under siege from kidnappers and armed gangs. In the South, fear has overtaken markets and farmlands, forcing local government chairmen to shut down Kara markets indefinitely and impose restrictions on produce markets. Families live in daily fear, villages are being deserted, and citizens are left at the mercy of criminals. Instead of confronting these threats head-on, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has chosen silence, absenteeism, and indifference. His failure to act has emboldened bandits and kidnappers, while ordinary people suffer.
The relocation of the NYSC camp is not a mere administrative adjustment; it is a national disgrace. It is a clear admission that Kwara is no longer safe for our youth corps members. The NYSC has been a symbol of national unity and patriotism for over four decades. To now see Kwara retreat from hosting corps members at its permanent camp is a shameful indictment on the Abdulrazaq government and an embarrassment for the state.
Equally, the closure of Kara markets across Kwara South is devastating for local economies. These markets are lifelines for farmers, traders, transporters, and families. By shutting them down, livelihoods are being destroyed, commerce is being strangled, and hunger will deepen in many homes. This is not a solution to insecurity; it is a retreat. It is a government surrendering its duties and shifting the burden onto already struggling citizens.
KAI holds Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq directly responsible for this deteriorating state of affairs. Leadership is not about excuses or absenteeism; it is about providing safety, stability, and direction in times of crisis. Sadly, what Kwara has today is a governor whose aloofness has left the state vulnerable and whose inaction has emboldened criminality.
We call on the Federal Government to treat the Kwara security crisis as a matter of urgent national concern. The Federal Government must immediately intervene, deploy stronger security measures across the state, and ensure that the Yipata NYSC camp is restored once safety can be guaranteed. The FG must also take steps to support communities in Kwara South whose livelihoods are being crippled by the markets closures.
Kwara is fast becoming uninhabitable, and this cannot be allowed to continue. Insecurity knows no religion, no tribe, and no political affiliation. It spares no one and destroys everything in its path. The time to act is now. Citizens cannot be abandoned, communities cannot be deserted, and national institutions cannot be displaced while a state government sleeps.
KAI will continue to raise its voice until urgent and decisive action is taken. Kwara deserves peace. Our people deserve safety and Nigeria must not fold its arms while a state is dragged into chaos by weak and visionless leadership.
Signed
Hajia Adeola Bashiru,
Head, Democratic Mobilization and Monitoring Desk,
Kwara Advancement Initiatives (KAI),
Ilorin, Kwara State