Fani-Kayode Condemns Terrorist Attack on Oke-Ode Community in Kwara

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has condemned the attack on Oke-Ode community in Kwara State, where at least 12 forest guards were killed by armed assailants earlier this week.

In a statement released on his official X handle on Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day, Fani-Kayode described the incident as a sign of escalating insecurity and called for a stronger national response.

“This is not random banditry. These are acts of terror. These are deliberate, coordinated assaults on our people and our sovereignty. To call them mere bandits is to diminish the threat we face,” he said.

The attackers, whose identities remain unconfirmed, ambushed members of the community’s forest protection unit. Security sources suspect the involvement of heavily armed militant groups active in rural areas.

Fani-Kayode extended condolences to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the bereaved families, while linking the incident to similar attacks in Zamfara and other regions. He urged the federal government to classify such groups as terrorists and to deploy more military personnel to affected areas.

He further called for well-coordinated operations to dismantle militant strongholds, warning against negotiations with armed groups. He also suggested that violent actors could be receiving external backing, urging intelligence agencies to investigate possible international involvement.

“Security agencies are doing their best, and we must support them. But the scale of this challenge demands more, more speed, more strength, more coordination. Our people are vulnerable, and we cannot afford to fail them,” he said.

Fani-Kayode encouraged citizens to support security agencies by sharing intelligence and remaining vigilant.

The Oke-Ode attack has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed debate over Nigeria’s security strategy, particularly in rural areas where law enforcement remains limited.