Residents of Kisi for Irepo Local Government Area for Oyo State don cry out say dem don dey shout for long time but nobody hear. Dem say di warnings wey dem give to state government and local authorities about suspected terrorists wey dey operate for di area dem ignore, even as fear dey grow say di criminals don set up base inside forest reserves wey dey near.
For interview with SaharaReporters, many residents talk about di security situation wey don dey worsen for months before di recent attacks wey kill people and wound others. According to dem, di armed groups don dey move freely across communities near Kishi, using forests and reserve areas as hideouts, while residents dey alert government officials and security agencies about di threat.
“We don dey shout for very long time,” one resident tell SaharaReporters. “We inform government, traditional leaders and security agencies say strange armed men dey move around our communities. We warn say dem dey gradually settle inside di reserve, but nobody appear to take our concerns seriously.”
Residents talk say youth leaders first go visit di local government chairman office and later travel to Ibadan, di state capital, soon after di Oriire incident wey schoolchildren and teachers dem kidnap. Dem go report di presence of strange armed men wey dey move through dem communities.
Dem say di worst fear come true when gunmen carry out two separate attacks along Kishi–Igbeti Road, wey be vital route for business and daily travel. During di attacks, one resident wey dem identify as Mr. Kayode die, while at least five other victims get serious injuries.
“Di attack no come as surprise to us because we don dey warn about am,” di resident talk. “These people don dey operate around here for some time. Dem dey stop vehicles, attack travellers and disappear into di forests. We know say something worse go happen if dem no do something.”
Many residents voice frustration, saying authorities only dey act after people don die. “This current government no dey help di situation because dem always wait until people die before dem pay attention,” di community member allege. “What dey pain us be say this tragedy fit don prevent if dem take di warnings from residents seriously.”
Di residents further claim say fear don spread across di area communities, with many people now dey reluctant to travel on certain roads, especially for early morning and evening hours. According to dem, economic activities don suffer as farmers, traders and transport operators dey fear attacks from armed groups wey dey operate inside and around di forests.
Di resident describe di situation as “slow takeover” of rural communities by criminal elements. “People dey afraid. Farmers dey afraid to go to dem farms. Travellers dey afraid to use di roads. We feel abandoned,” di resident talk.
Di latest complaints by Kisi residents come against backdrop of growing insecurity for Oriire Local Government Area of di state, where communities don face attacks and abductions. For recent weeks, concerns don intensify following incidents wey involve abduction of schoolchildren inside di local government area, wey spark widespread fear among parents and residents.
Residents say di abductions for Oriire suppose serve as wake-up call for both Oyo State Government and Nigerian Government to strengthen security operations and respond more aggressively to intelligence wey local communities provide about movement of terrorists inside forests. Instead, according to community members, warnings continue to go unheeded until di recent attacks on Kishi-Igbeti Road wey result for di death of Mr Kayode and injuries to several others.
“We no want more deaths before action take. We don dey live with this threat for too long. Government must act now before di situation become completely uncontrollable,” di resident add.
