Youth leaders in Kwara South have implored President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the region following a brutal bandit attack that claimed 15 lives, including a traditional ruler, in Oke-Ode community, highlighting a surge in kidnappings and displacements that has left hundreds fleeing their homes since January.

The Kwara South Youth Congress, in an open letter to the president, painted a grim picture of insecurity gripping Ifelodun Local Government Area, where assailants gunned down vigilantes after military withdrawal and abducted several others.

Signed by president Dr Oluwatobi Afolayan and public relations officer Bashir Adejare, the plea underscores over 200 abductions in the south since the year began, with villages like Babanla, Oreke, and Ganmu Aliheri now ghost towns.

The Sunday assault in Oke-Ode has amplified cries for federal action, as locals recount repeated raids that have eroded trust in security outfits. "Communities are relocating en masse," the letter noted, blaming porous borders for the influx of armed groups from the north.

The group outlined four urgent fixes: a specialized force against banditry, community sensitization on threats, temporary military outposts in hotspots, and swift execution of death warrants for convicted violent offenders.

"With timely intervention, Kwara South can be stabilized," they urged, framing the emergency as a lifeline for a region on the brink.