Arewa youths have condemned the killing of three soldiers by insurgents in Kemanji, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing the attack as tragic and unacceptable.
In a statement, the group said the lives of security personnel, including the military, police, NSCDC and DSS, “matter greatly”, stressing that the fallen soldiers died defending residents and their property.
The statement, signed by the group’s Secretary-General, Salihu Dantata Mahmud, urged the Federal Government to intensify military operations to curb rising insecurity.
Mahmud called for sustained air raids, ground clearance operations and a comprehensive sweep of forests in Wawa, Woro, Gandu and Kemanji to flush out insurgents.
He lamented the continued loss of trained officers, citing recent killings of a brigadier-general in Borno State and other attacks in Yobe State.
“We cannot continue to lose our well-trained personnel to undesirable elements. Urgent action is needed to protect our security agents,” the statement read.
The group, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for efforts to tackle insecurity, while appealing for the rehabilitation of key roads, including Wawa–Kaiama, Kaiama–Kosubosu, Mokwa–Kainji and Wawa–Govanti–Agwara roads, to improve troop movement.
It also called for the establishment of permanent security structures in ungoverned areas and strengthened intelligence gathering along border communities linking Benin Republic.
The youths further urged security agencies to intensify checks on vehicles conveying agricultural produce, alleging that criminals conceal ammunition in food items.
They also appealed to the governors of Niger, Kwara, Sokoto and Kebbi states to convene a joint security meeting to enhance regional cooperation against insurgency.