Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has issued a strong condemnation following a violent attack on women and children protesters at the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin.
Peaceful Protest Met with Violence
The incident, which occurred on Monday, December 29, 2025, involved a group of women staging a peaceful demonstration. They were protesting the alarming rise in kidnappings and general insecurity within their communities in Kwara State.
A viral video from the scene shows suspected hired thugs harassing and flogging the unarmed women. The footage has sparked nationwide outrage, particularly because officers of the Nigeria Police Force were present but did not intervene to stop the assault or protect the citizens.
Sowore's Scathing Rebuke
Reacting via his official X handle, Omoyele Sowore described the event as "one of the most despicable scenes" he had witnessed at a seat of government. He expressed deep disturbance that uniformed police officers stood by idly while helpless women were beaten, harassed, and humiliated in broad daylight.
Sowore did not mince words in pointing fingers at the state's leadership. He accused Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, of intolerance and high-handedness. The activist alleged that the attack was either directly sanctioned or tacitly permitted by the state authorities, marking an unacceptable descent into violence against women and children in a democracy.
The Heartbreaking Pleas of the Women
In the widely circulated video, the women, speaking in Yoruba, were seen crying and pleading for government intervention. Their lamentations highlighted the severe impact of kidnapping on their families and community.
"They have kidnapped every one of us, both young and old. We are paupers; we have no money, and there is absolutely nothing they can get from us," one woman cried out. They begged the public for rescue, stating that kidnappers continue to abduct their children and husbands, leaving them in a state of perpetual fear and poverty.
Calls for Accountability and Justice
Sowore has called for immediate and concrete action from the Nigeria Police Force. He demanded that the officers who failed in their constitutional duty to protect lives and property be identified and sanctioned.
Furthermore, he insisted that the thugs who carried out the assault must be arrested and prosecuted without delay. "Anything short of this will confirm official complicity," Sowore warned, emphasizing that justice must be seen to be done.
As of the time this report was filed, neither the Kwara State Government nor the Nigeria Police Force has issued an official statement regarding the incident or the serious allegations leveled against them.
