A family in Kwara State has shared harrowing details of the trauma they endured following a series of kidnappings, culminating in a violent attack on women protesters at the state Government House in Ilorin.
Family's Ordeal: From Kidnapping to Violent Assault
Mr Olowo Taofeeq, a member of the affected family, explained the sequence of events that led to the protest. The family's nightmare began with the kidnapping of his younger brother on November 30, 2025, in Omu-Aran, Ifelodun Local Government Area. While the brother regained freedom in the early hours of Boxing Day, the ordeal was far from over.
Olowo disclosed that two family delegates who delivered millions of naira as ransom to the bandits were themselves abducted. The delegates were held captive along with a new motorcycle valued at 1.8 million naira.
Frustrated and seeking government intervention, women from the family, including elderly members, organized a peaceful protest. They proceeded to the Ahmad Bello House (Government House) at GRA, Ilorin, on Saturday, December 27, 2025, to register their displeasure over the serial kidnappings plaguing their family and community.
Peaceful Protest Turns Violent
According to Olowo, the protesting women were ambushed, castigated, and beaten mercilessly by suspected political thugs he alleged were associated with the APC and operating from the Government House premises.
He expressed deep emotional pain, stating, "I wept when watching the video clips, seeing my biological sister of the same blood being beaten with a stick mercilessly." Olowo claimed to recognize some of the attackers, including their leader.
A viral video of the incident corroborates the account, showing more than 30 men armed with horse whips, canes, rubber, and wires descending from an unmarked vehicle to assault the women. The assailants were seen forcefully collecting placards and beating the protesters, forcing some into gutters. The attack occurred while Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was reportedly attending a passing-out parade for the state's forest guards.
Political Condemnation and Calls for Justice
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongly condemned the attack. The party's state publicity secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, described it as "brutal, inhumane, and utterly disgraceful."
The PDP stated that the protesters, mostly aged mothers and wives of kidnapped victims from Oke-Ode, Agbeku, Babanla, and Adanla communities, had approached the Government House as a last resort after weeks of failed attempts to secure their loved ones' release.
"Instead of compassion, reassurance, or even basic engagement, these traumatised citizens were met with violence," Adewara lamented. The party called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate and prosecute those responsible, including any security officers who allegedly allowed the attack to happen.
Official Reactions and Wider Unrest
In response to the public outcry, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq expressed outrage over the footage. Through a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor distanced his administration from the incident, calling it unacceptable.
"Peaceful protest is a democratic right. The women are within their rights to express their views. We, therefore, distance ourselves from the incident as it does not represent our values as a government. We call on the police to find the attackers and bring them to account," the statement read.
The protest in Ilorin is not an isolated incident of public frustration. In a related development, hundreds of youths and residents in Kwara's Isin local government area blocked the Ilorin-Omu-Aran-Kabba Highway, protesting rising kidnappings and insecurity. They carried placards with messages like "Enough is Enough" and "Stop Kidnapping Our People," urging urgent government action as farming and business activities suffer.
Mr Olowo Taofeeq issued a stern warning, appealing directly to the governor. He stressed that intimidating grieving families could worsen the fragile situation. Asserting his readiness to lead further protests if needed, he emphasized his philosophy: "family first, humanity second, politics take last."
