…….. Says Kwara Remains One Of Most Peaceful States

By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Lead Officer of the Senior Course 47 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Col. Usman Hashim Muhammed, has lauded the peace building efforts of the Kwara State government, particularly its investment in security and economy, making the State one of the most peaceful States in Nigeria.

“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, the state capital, at an interactive session with top government officials.

“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.”

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) Revd Timothy Akangbe; and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye.

In a speech to the delegation, SSA Security Muyideen 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, Alhaji Adigun 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 IGR from N30.6bn in 2019 to N69.1bn 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, saying that is the highest number of teachers that any government has employed in the recent history of the state.

“The administration has ī over N4bn 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.