Kwara Remains One of Most Peaceful States, Says Nigerian Military

* Praises AbdulRazaq’s investment in security, economy

Kwara State remains one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria and its efforts to strengthen security are well founded, according to the lead officer of the Senior Course 47 of the Armed Forces Command  and Staff College, Jaji, Col. Usman Hashim Muhammed. 

“Kwara State is one of the most peaceful states, but this fact does not mean that we should relent. It only requires that more efforts are made so that the peace continues and improves in the future,” he said in Ilorin at an interactive session with top government officials on Tuesday.

“It is on this basis that we are here to hear what the government has been doing to achieve the peace the state enjoys.

“After hearing that we will go back and analyse whatever we got and see what we are going to come up with for Kwara State to sustain and possibly improve in the peaceful security it is enjoying.” 

A statement by the Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Government House, Ilorin, Mashood Abdulrafiu Agboola, revealed that the delegation was received by senior government officials, including representative of the Secretary to the Government of Kwara State and Permanent Secretary on General Service Abdulganiy Yita; Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Alhaji Bashir Adigun; Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Security, Alhaji Muyideen Aliyu; Senior Special Assistant on Religion (Christianity), Rev. Timothy Akangbe; and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye. 

According to the statement, the Army lauded the peace building efforts of the state government and its initiatives that empower the people of the state. 

In a speech to the delegation, SSA Security, Aliyu outlined the security strategies of the government, which he said included massive support for the security agencies and community engagement through the traditional, religious institutions, and vigilante groups. 

In a brief remark to the delegation, Adigun, in the statement, emphasised the role of local communities in strengthening security architecture and commended the military for their roles in internal security of the country.

Ajakaye, who moderated the interactive session, told the delegation how the administration has grown the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) from N30.6 billion in 2019 to N69.1 billion as of 2024 (125.82%), attributing the feats to various reforms, automation systems, blockage of leakages and strategic widening of the taxpayer base.

He also mentioned some of the initiatives, projects and programmes that the government has introduced to support the vulnerable, boost local economy and engage the citizens, including the establishment of Garment Factory, Innovation Hub, Film Factory, Kwapreneur programme, and teaching technological skills to young people. 

He said the administration has created tens of thousands of jobs across different layers of the economy, resulting in significant social mobility and empowerment of the people.

Ajakaye told the team that the administration has hired over 8,600 teachers between 2019 and 2025, adding that, that is the highest number of teachers that any government has employed in the recent history of the state.  

“The administration has committed over N4 bllion in counterpart funds to attract different supports, including strengthening access roads to the hinterlands. Under this programme, more than 1,000km of rural roads have either been fixed or are being done now,” Ajakaye said.

In a statement by the Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Government House, Ilorin, Mashood Abdulrafiu Agboola