By Omowumi Omotosho
Residents of Oreke-Okegbo in Ile-Ire District, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, have sent a passionate appeal to the Federal Government, state authorities, and security agencies, calling for urgent deployment of military personnel to their community. They warned that persistent attacks by armed criminals have turned their once-thriving agrarian settlement into what they described as a “field of fear.”
In a formal statement titled Save Our Soul (S.O.S), which has been widely circulated on social media, the community addressed their message to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Office of the National Security Adviser, human rights organizations, civil society groups, and “all well-meaning Nigerians.”
The statement opened with the words: “We, the people of Oreke-Okegbo, a peace-loving, agrarian community in Ile-Ire District of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State, write to you today not just as citizens, but as people whose lives are hanging by a threat. This is a Save Our Soul (S.O.S) message. It is a cry of desperation.”
The residents recounted a series of violent incidents that have devastated their community in recent months. “We have witnessed brutal killings of innocent people; abductions, including that of a high-ranking chief, with millions paid as ransom; and just recently, a resident, Alfa Ismaila Baba Ibrahim, was murdered, even after money had been extorted from him, and his son, Sule Ismaila, was abducted. These are not just stories. These are real people — fathers, mothers, brothers, and neighbors — whose lives have been lost, whose futures have been shattered,” the statement read.
According to the community, the insecurity has driven residents from their homes, leaving farms abandoned and schools empty. “A land once filled with the sounds of children and harvest is now gripped by fear and silence. We are being turned into refugees on our own land,” the residents lamented.
They insisted that they are not militants or enemies of the state but simple farmers seeking to live peaceful lives. “Now, we are left with nothing but our voices. So we raise them now, trembling but hopeful, and say: Please, come to our rescue,” they pleaded.
The residents called for immediate and sustained security intervention in Oreke-Okegbo, thorough investigations and prosecution of those behind the attacks, and assistance for displaced people to return and rebuild their lives. They also urged leaders at every level to show greater empathy and take decisive action to end the violence.
“We cannot do this alone. We have lost too much already, and we fear what tomorrow may bring. We ask for action before more lives are lost. Let it not be said that the people of Oreke-Okegbo cried for help and no one listened. Let it be written that when our backs were against the wall, our leaders, our country, and our fellow citizens stood up for justice and peace. From the depth of our hearts, we beg: Save our soul. Save Oreke-Okegbo,” the statement concluded.
In addition to the formal SOS message, a shorter broadcast has been making the rounds on several WhatsApp groups, highlighting the residents’ frustration over the lack of direct military protection in their community. The message reads: “Let’s share our own story until it gets to the appropriate authority. Army at Babanla, not Oreke-Okegbo Community. We also need the presence of the army to allow our people to return home.”
