A group under the aegis of Joint Security Watch Kwara South, has rejected the claim that a large part of the area has been deserted due to insecurity.

The group in a statement issued by its coordinator, Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, said the narrative was inaccurate and used for political purposes ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary.

The Coordinator stated that banditry and kidnapping in the zone are through ungoverned forests and weak border points.

“They are not indigenous to Kwara South and do not define our people,” he said.

According to him, the attackers targeted isolated routes and settlements with limited security presence.

He stated that in areas where intelligence and joint operations were deployed early, attacks were repelled and displaced families have returned to their farms.

Oyin-Zubair also pointed to electoral data to buttress Kwara South’s political viability within the APC, citing the 2019 and 2023 elections where the zone led other zones in APC performance.

The coordinator disclosed that APC recorded 68 per cent success in Kwara South in 2023, as against 35 per cent in Kwara Central.

He accused the other zones of pushing the narrative that Kwara South lacks voting strength due to bandit attacks.

The group outlined ongoing security measures, including community-led patrols, an early warning system in every ward, air surveillance over identified hotspots, and joint operations with the police, NSCDC, and local vigilantes across Irepodun, Ekiti, Oke-Ero, Isin, and Offa local government areas, to tackle security challenges in the zone.

“Kwara South is securing its land, protecting its people, and restoring normal life and economic activity. We will not accept the use of insecurity as a tool for political exclusion,” Oyin-Zubair assured.

The group urged the public to rely on verified information and said Kwara South remained safe enough to live, farm, trade, and vote.