₦airaland Forum

Kwara Tomato Farmer Cries Out As Terror Attacks Cripple Farms, Livelihoods; Accuses Federal Lawmakers Of Abandoning Constituents

Kwara State farmer and CEO of Versa Farms, Ibrahim Toyeeb, has raised an alarm over what he described as the devastating impact of terrorist attacks on communities, farms, and livelihoods in the state, accusing elected federal lawmakers of abandoning their constituents.

Mr Toyeeb, whose company is among the largest agricultural firms in Kwara, told SaharaReporters that the spate of killings, kidnappings, and raids in Kwara South has left communities traumatised and risks collapsing investments across the region.

While stressing that his appeal was non-partisan but rooted in survival, he urged the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and security agencies to sustain military deployments, but also ensure intelligence-led operations and relief for the victims.

SaharaReporters had reported on Wednesday’s kidnapping of two farmers at Bokungi Zambufu community under the Lafiagi Emirate, citing NupekoTV.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants stormed the farmland and opened fire “sporadically,” forcing villagers to flee. SaharaReporters had also documented recent attacks in Oke-Ode (Ifelodun LGA), Essanti (Patigi LGA), and Marri Village, where dozens were killed, vigilantes executed, and families displaced.

Mr Toyeeb specifically called out Kwara federal lawmakers, Senator Oyelola Ashiru (Kwara South) and Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, Chairman of the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, for their silence.

“I mourn every life taken. I mourn every family uprooted. I mourn every field left untended. My people sleep in fear. Silence from those elected to protect us is not neutrality; it is, to us, abandonment. We call on Senator Ashiru and Honourable Olawuyi to show leadership, to convene security partners, and to secure our communities now,” he said.

“Why has this situation not been mentioned boldly on the floor of the National Assembly? Representation without advocacy is no representation at all.”

The farmer argued that inadequate representation at the federal level has weakened Kwara South’s chances of attracting strong government security interventions. He accused lawmakers of “poor performance and neglect,” saying their failure to amplify the crisis in Abuja has worsened people’s sense of abandonment.

Mr Toyeeb warned that insecurity is not only a human tragedy but also an economic disaster in the making.

“Insecurity is destroying Kwara South’s investment potential. If farms close and businesses pull out, families lose their livelihoods, poverty deepens, and the area becomes economically crippled. Versa Farms employs hundreds of people; we are proof of what is possible if safety and stability are assured. This is why I am raising my voice: to protect not just farms, but futures,” he said.

He outlined practical measures to contain the crisis, asking the government to deploy targeted security reinforcements to vulnerable communities, establish a joint federal-state task force with clear command and accountability, conduct rapid humanitarian assessments for displaced families, launch a transparent investigation into the attacks with a time-bound action plan, and convene local leaders, security officials, and civil society to design community-led protection mechanisms.

Meanwhile, SaharaReporters previously exposed how Governor AbdulRazaq’s aides attempted to downplay insecurity by circulating old photographs of Nigerian Air Force strikes in Borno State and passing them off as fresh operations in Kwara.

On September 22, the governor’s aide, Olayinka Fafoluyi (aka Solace), shared images of airstrikes on his Facebook page, claiming they were deterrence operations against bandits in Oke-Ode. A fact-check traced the pictures to Operation HADIN KAI in Borno on October 25, 2024.

Residents dismissed the spin as insensitive, given the wave of killings that claimed at least 12 vigilantes and the Baale of Ogbayo during a dawn raid in Oke-Ode.

From Oke-Ode to Patigi, villagers continue to flee en masse amid repeated raids. In Essanti, two sons of a youth leader were abducted in daylight, with kidnappers boasting that the move would “reduce the need for night invasions.”

In Marri village, assailants struck under heavy rainfall, killing one, injuring another, and carting away motorcycles before soldiers intervened.

Mr Toyeeb noted that if lawmakers and the state government do not act with urgency, Kwara South will be stripped of both its people and its economic lifeline.

“The blood of farmers stains these fields. Yet our voices go unheard in Abuja. If Kwara South loses its farms, its industries, and its people, it will not just be an insecurity crisis, it will be the end of our economic future,” he warned.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said governors of the South East are in discussions with the Federal Government over the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Speaking during his monthly media interaction with journalists on Thursday, Otti disclosed that the region’s governors were making efforts behind the scenes to secure Kanu’s freedom.

Answering questions on the IPOB leader’s fate, he said: “The information and assurances are not for public consumption. As his governor, I am in the forefront of ensuring that he comes back. The South East governors are also involved. So, we are discussing.”

The governor, however, noted that beyond the Kanu matter, his administration remains committed to strengthening security across the state, especially as the year draws to a close.

“We will also continue to support the agencies, supporting the police, the army, the DSS, with little things to make their lives easier. We are also renovating and expanding the prison, not that we are expecting more criminals to be sent there,” he said.

He commended security agencies for maintaining relative peace in Abia, but urged residents to remain vigilant during the ember months.

“The state has been relatively peaceful. I want to use this opportunity to thank the security agencies, the army, and the officers who have worked and continue to work very hard. But it is never over yet. We have just launched into the ember months. And we all know what goes with ember months. I am using this opportunity to call on all of us to be more security-conscious. To report whatever we see. We should not keep quiet. A large part of the success in security is information. We have our own ways of gathering information. But if you also support what the government is doing with information, it will be very helpful.”

zero8zero:
Ned Nwoko's grandparents are from Abia. So no one is surprised.

onuman:
The attacks keep coming because Ned Nwoko is trying to exploit his new craving for Igbo identify to get Anioma as sixth state for the southeast instead of a sixth state created from the present southeast.

Early hours of today, bandits have reportedly attacked a police checkpoint and killed 3 police officers at Ofili along Okoloke Road Egbe in Yagbe west LGA of Kogi state

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has confirmed the killing of eight of its personnel and a civilian driver following an ambush in Edo State.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Corps said the incident occurred on Friday, September 5, 2025, at about 10:30pm along the Okpella–Agenebode axis.

"The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) regrets to announce the unfortunate incident that occurred on Friday, 5th September 2025, at about 2230hrs, along the Okpella–Agenebode axis, Edo State."

According to the statement, "Armed men laid an ambush on the convoy of a Chinese national from BUA Cement Company, Okpella, leading to the tragic death of eight ( NSCDC personnel attached to the Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) Department, alongside one civilian driver. A total of twelve (12) persons were on escort duty at the time of the attack. Sadly, the Chinese national was kidnapped during the incident."

The NSCDC said the victims’ remains had been deposited in the mortuary while survivors are receiving medical treatment.

"The remains of the nine (9) deceased have been deposited in the mortuary, while the three (3) injured victims are currently receiving treatment at a medical facility. Among the fallen heroes is Chief Corps Assistant (CCA) Oluwatosin Sunday of the Ondo State Command, who was attached to the CNAI Department."

The corps described the killings as a grievous loss.

"The Corps deeply mourns this grievous loss and commiserates with the families of the deceased, their colleagues, and the entire NSCDC family. We salute the gallantry of our officers who paid the supreme price in the line of duty and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives, national assets, and infrastructure."

It assured that security agencies are working to rescue the kidnapped Chinese national.

"We call on the public to remain calm as the Corps, in collaboration with sister security agencies, intensifies efforts to rescue the kidnapped victim and bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice."

The NSCDC concluded by praying for the repose of the officers’ souls.

"May the souls of our gallant officers rest in peace."

Chekwume16:
Even in aniocha oshimili about 80% are against joining the south east not to talk about ndokwa and ika areas where about 98% are against it. Mind you we don't hate igbos but we abhor some of your behaviours

helinues:
On whose order?

PaNnamdi:
I am so disappointed and sad reading the unfortunate news of agunechema beating and stripping of female corpers,this is the height of Idiocracy and foolishness perpertratevbu men that ought to be protecting Igbo land.

These men supposed to be sacked and fired from their jobs,I mean they just showed how sex deprived and useless they are,twy left the forests bandits and criminals rampaging Igboland and descended on innocent girls,they ought to be fired by now but I don't know how soludo is going to handle this.

These barbaric security men deserved to paid millions in compensation or deserve serious beatings so that they can reclaim their senses back.

aswani:
At least they didn't dump them into Azu River like Peter Obi empowered people with folly to do.

A 78-year old grandfather, from Umuabugu Eje, Umuissai, Imufu Enugu Ezike, Mr Thomas Ogbu Nwaojobo, was captured as a young boy and ‘executed’ alongside his elder brother, Lawrence by Nigerian soldiers during the Nigeria – Biafra civil war in 1967. The incident occurred at Enugu- Ezike, in the present Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.


Local war preceding the Biafra war

“Before the civil war, there was another local war between the people of Enugu-Ezike in the present Igboeze North Local Government Area, and its border town neighbour, Ofante in Kogi State. The war preceded the civil war. During that war, the Ofante people killed our war hero, Ogbu Nwugbabe from Aji, Enugu Ezike. Ogbu Nwugbabe had what we now call ‘Odieshi’, an antidote for dane guns which was in vogue then. It was used in fighting the Ofante war. He was our war commander.

Ogbu Nwugbabe had killed an Ofante man, whose son was a Nigerian soldier. So, the son of the Ofante man returned home with his military rifle and joined his native people in the battle field and shot several of Enugu Ezike people including Ogbu Nwugbabe who, it was believed, could not be killed with any gun. They later brought his headless corpse to the then District Officer, DO, at Nsukka, where it was confirmed that the bullet that felled him was from a military rifle. Shortly after his killing, the local war ended and the Nigeria – Biafra civil war started.

Pandemonium as Nigerian soldiers overran our area

“I had then left Nsukka to collect food items from home, since I was living alone as an apprentice. I was learning auto- re-wiring and battery charging at Nsukka. However, after collecting the food items, I came out to Ogurute, the headquarters of the old Igboeze North Local Government Council to board a vehicle to Nsukka but could not get any vehicle because the civil war had started and the Nigerian soldiers had overrun our area. I then trekked to Nsukka which was a distance of over 12 kilometres. I was young then and didn’t understand the import of the soldiers at Enugu Ezike abandoning their make-shift barracks and duty posts. However, by the time I got to Nsukka, residents of Ibagwa and Obukpa were already running into Nsukka. There was pandemonium and everybody was running helter-skelter. So, the only option was to go back to my village- Imufu, Enugu Ezike. Again, there was no vehicle to go home and I decided to trek back home.

"We were trekking back to Enugu Ezike peacefully until we got to the boundary between Nsukka and Obukpa, when we met Nigerian soldiers firing at civilians at the market. We had not reached the market, but we were watching from a far distance as Nigerian soldiers were firing at the unarmed civilians. While we were watching the soldiers firing at civilians in the market and everybody running in different directions, I saw one driver, Romanus Mamah, whose taxi, a Morris Minor saloon car, was fully loaded and he was driving towards the place where the soldiers were shooting at the civilians. I then started shouting, asking him to stop but he didn’t stop. He must have thought that we were stopping him to give us a lift.

He drove towards the soldiers and they killed him with all his passengers. Late Romanus Mamah from Umuogili Eze, was employed by the Ekere-ezes. We later went through a footpath from Nsukka to Enugu Ezike. When I returned from Nsukka, I told my people that things had changed for the worst and that we should run. I told them that Biafran soldiers had been driven out of Ogurute, Ibagwa and Obukpa respectively and that the Nigerian soldiers were heading towards Nsukka, killing innocent civilians indiscriminately.


How I was captured alongside my elder brother


“But, as we were running, I turned back and saw that Nigerian soldiers had captured my elder brother, behind me. His name was Lawrence Ogbu. Our father’s name was Ogbu Nwojobo. As a young boy, I thought I shouldn’t leave my elder brother, and I turned back and went to the soldiers, who, then, also arrested me. They arrested three of us at the same place; my elder brother Lawrence, Abu Nwugwoke and myself. However, Abu Nwugwoke spoke fluent Hausa Language, because he grew up in the north. He was also among the few Muslims in our village. He spoke Hausa to the soldiers and they released him.

So, the soldiers then took us to their station. There, they tied our hands behind our backs and ordered three soldiers to take us away and execute us, with our hands tied behind our backs. They led us to a nearby village, known as Mkpamte and asked us to lie face- down while being handcuffed. So we laid down and they shot each of us from the back, one after the other. Lawrence died instantly. They shot me on the left side from the back and I fainted, after some struggling, still lying face down.

My miraculous survival after being shot

“The soldier that shot me obviously targeted my heart and ribs but missed his targets. So, I was there for two days, when a very old man who was living in the compound came with a hoe to bury each of us in shallow graves. He had buried others including Lawrence the same way. However, when it got to my turn, he discovered that I was still alive with my two eyes open. He asked me for my name and where I came from and I told him. The old man, Onoja Nwidoko, was compassionate. He then promised to make efforts to locate my parents or relatives, so that they could come and take me away.

He later came back to inform me that our home had been deserted and that the few people he saw started running when they sighted him. Those who were bold enough to wait and listen to him didn’t want to follow him to where I was lying down, dying and decaying. After narrating his efforts to locate my people and how they fled on seeing him, I pleaded with him to be checking on me to know when I would finally die so that he could then bury me to ensure that vultures did not feast on my corpse and he agreed. The old man untied my hands and was actually coming to check on me to know when I would die. When he left on the third day, I started feeling thirsty. There was a piece of broken clay pot where I saw some water which had percolated inside it, so I crawled to the broken pot and drank the water, it was mud water and I started vomiting immediately. I vomited congealed blood and water or what they described as bloody water or hemolyzed blood mixture.

After vomiting a lot of blood water, I now started feeling very hungry. So, again, I crawled towards some rotten Ugiri fruits which were falling into the compound near me. Ugiri is a species of Ogbomo fruit, whose seeds are also used in preparing ‘draw’ soup. I pierced them with my fingers and started sucking them as my teeth were shaky and couldn’t bite or eat anything.

Reunion with my family after six agonising days of trekking in the bush

“On the fourth day, I was able to stand up, but each time I stood up, I would fall down. I couldn’t recognise anywhere again. I later moved away from there but I was moving, stumbling and falling down. Somewhere at Ezillo, when it was dark, I saw a hut where some vigilante people had made a bonfire and I slept near it, with my head near the fireplace. I left there at day break and moved into the bush. While in the bush, some soldiers who were firing at an enemy plane or fighter jet which was hovering around the area passed beside me. They must have thought that I was dead already as flies were perching all over me. Then on the fifth day, I was able to cross the road towards the Alumu Stream at Ekposhi, Enugu Ezike. I followed the road to Onicha Enugu Ezike. I was very weak, extremely tired, but I continued to trudge on.

I arrived Onicha using the moonlight and started moving towards Okata and entered Umuida. I was able to cross Apata Ahebi (now known as Umuida Road) and then entered Imufu. I reached our compound at about 10 pm on the sixth day. This was a journey that would not take a healthy person two
and a half hours on foot, but it took me six days of agony. When I reached our house, my father and his friend, Eze Nwabugu Eya from Umuoyina Nwee Village were inside, discussing in low tones. My father could not recognise my voice when I made noise at the door. He later came and saw me. He had difficulty recognising me. I was wearing a polo shirt which had changed colour. It was soaked with blood, water, dust and sand.

My father then went inside and fetched his Umatu (knife used for tapping palm wine.) The Umatu was as sharp as a razor blade. He used it to cut the polo shirt off my body, opening the wounds where the bullet entered and exited from my chest. It was horrendous. My father asked me about his first son, Lawrence and I couldn’t answer anything. After this, my father and his visitor, Eze Nwabugu Eya, took me to Obeta Nwoyiga’s house, where my mother and other relatives were taking refuge. Immediately they saw me, all of them burst into tears, screaming.

Treatment for gunshot wounds with herbs and roots

I could not eat, but soon after we reached the house, our host, Obeta Nwoyiga and Ogbu Nwa Mamah Attama went into the bush to get some herbal roots with which they gave me first aid.

They boiled some of the roots which I drank while they crushed the others in a mortar. They used the paste from the crushed roots to rub on the wounds. I was treated with the herbs for another six days, making it exactly 12 days of my agony. On that same day, my father and his host, Obeta Nwoyiga, went and fetched Ambrose Abugu, who was working as health attendant at the Enugu Ezike Maternity Home before the war, now Enugu- Ezike General Hospital. Ambrose gave me some injections inside our hut in the bush.

I had emaciated terribly, looking like a stick. You could count all my ribs. I was like a walking or a living corpse. After a month of treatment in the bush, we were advised to leave that place and move further by about three miles into the forest, which we did to avoid being detected by the enemy. This time, we moved far away from the Imufu/Ogrute axis.

Following the advice, my father put me on his bicycle and took me to Umuonu, Umuida. We slept at Umushene, a nearby village to Umuonu because we couldn’t reach Umuonu the same day.

Another raid by Nigerian soldiers

“We were at Umuonu for another four days when the Nigerian soldiers came on another raid, killing civilians and burning their thatched houses, prompting our escape to Ogboli Village again. From Ogboli, we came back to Ugwuntu in Imufu, where my father had built a hut with palm fronds. It was the place where Rufus was coming to treat my gunshot wounds. One day, he came to treat me and after the treatment, we didn’t see him again because the Nigerian soldiers visited his house and killed him. After Rufus’s sudden and tragic death, I was not treated again by anybody, until the end of the war in 1970.