Anger has continued to mount over remarks made by Senator Sadiq Umar regarding banditry in the Kwara North Senatorial District.
Stakeholders and residents of Edu and Patigi Local Government Areas earlier condemned the senator’s statement that “the security situation in the communities is being brought under control,” describing it as a betrayal and denial of the region’s reality.
In a statement, the stakeholders said the senator’s claim was “deeply shocking and completely disconnected from the painful reality faced by our people daily,” questioning his commitment to representing their interests.
Adding his voice to the backlash, Hon. Abdulkadir Lafiagi, a prominent citizen from Lafiagi Emirate, on Friday expressed outrage over the senator’s remarks, calling them “reckless and insensitive.”
“Senator Sadiq’s claim that banditry does not exist in Kwara North but only in Kwara South is a grave insult to the people of this region,” Lafiagi said.
“Communities in Edu and Patigi have suffered repeated attacks, kidnappings, and loss of lives. To deny this is to deny the pain of our people.”
He further alleged that the senator’s comments were politically motivated and aimed at pleasing Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq ahead of the 2027 governorship race.
“In doing so, Senator Sadiq has betrayed the trust of his constituents. By denying the insecurity in Kwara North, he has destroyed his own governorship ambition and lost moral credibility,” Lafiagi added.
He urged the leadership of the National Assembly and the general public to disregard the senator’s claims and focus instead on the growing insecurity in Kwara North.
“Kwara North deserves leaders who will speak the truth, defend the people, and stand for justice—not politicians who trade their conscience for political favor,” he declared.