The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has assured Nigerians that security agencies are determined to reclaim communities in Kwara State currently threatened by terrorist and bandit activities.

The police chief gave the assurance during an operational visit to the Nigeria Police Force command headquarters in Ilorin, where he met with security stakeholders to review strategies aimed at addressing the growing security challenges in the state.

Speaking during the visit, Egbetokun said he was fully aware of the security situation in the state, noting that he had previously spent time in Kwara leading operations to clear criminal elements from forest areas.

“I know what is happening in Kwara State because I was here last month, where I spent a month. I led the team that cleared the bandits in our forest last month. So I know the problems being faced in the state and am here to thank you for all you have been doing to ensure the state is safe,” he said.

He urged residents to cooperate with security agencies, stressing that collective effort was crucial in defeating criminal networks and restoring peace.

“We have to take back our homes. We have to take back our communities, and that is why I am here to tell you that all of us will work together to take back our communities,” he added.

During the visit, the police chief also met with the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a closed-door meeting where they discussed measures to strengthen security across the state. He later thanked the governor for his support to security agencies in the fight against crime.

Kwara is among several North-Central states grappling with rising insecurity, alongside Kogi State, Benue State, and Niger State, where communities have experienced repeated attacks linked to banditry.

In February, gunmen reportedly attacked the community of Woro, killing more than 75 people in what has been described as the deadliest recent assault in the region. The incident drew condemnation from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who described the killings as “cowardly and barbaric.”

Following the attack, Tinubu announced a military security operation known as Operation Savannah Shield aimed at protecting vulnerable communities and restoring stability across affected states in the North-Central region.