Kayode Tokede

Kwara State farmer and Chief Executive Officer of Versa Farms, Nigeria’s largest tomato farm, Ibrahim Toyeeb, has condemned the recent spate of deadly attacks across the state, calling for urgent intervention to protect lives and safeguard the region’s fragile economy.

Toyeeb, whose company is one of the largest employers of labour in the area, expressed deep pain at the killings and displacement of residents.

He warned that unless decisive action is taken, Kwara South risks becoming an economic dead zone, driving away investors and undermining the livelihoods of thousands.

His statement follows coordinated attacks on communities in Kwara South and neighbouring areas, including Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government Area, which left scores dead, several injured, and several people abducted.

While mourning the victims, Toyeeb voiced sharp frustration at what he described as the continuing silence and inadequate action from two federal figures-Senator Oyelola Ashiru, who represents Kwara South in the Senate, and Hon Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, who chairs the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness.

He urged both men to show leadership by spearheading a coordinated response to protect lives, restore investors’ confidence, and save the region from economic collapse. He stressed that the “not very good” representation and poor performance of elected officers from the area have contributed to the crisis, as their failure to advocate for their people in Abuja consistently has limited the Federal Government’s impact in Kwara South.

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

Toyeeb emphasised that this appeal is not partisan and not intended to inflame tensions. Rather, it is a practical call for a sequence of immediate actions that he believes would arrest the crisis and begin the work of recovery: deploy targeted security reinforcements to affected communities; identify and secure vulnerable points, establish a joint federal-state security task force with clear lines of command and public reporting, conduct rapid humanitarian assessments and provide urgent relief to displaced families, launch a transparent investigation into the attacks and publish a time-bound action plan, and convene local leaders, security officials and civil society to create community-led protection measures.

He also urged the state governor and security agencies to sustain the recent measures announced in the wake of the attacks and to prioritise intelligence-led operations that protect civilians while upholding the rule of law.

The farmer welcomed calls by the state executive for increased military and security deployments to the affected areas, and he urged that any such deployments be paired with clear, local engagement and relief for victims. 

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