The move follows long-standing calls for a military presence to address escalating insecurity that has displaced over 52 communities and claimed numerous lives.

Alhaji Abdulganiyu Ajala-Bello, National President of the Oke-Ode Development Association, described the deployment as “a right step in the right direction” in an interview with PUNCH Online on Friday. 

“Banditry had reached an alarming rate, with villages across the axis attacked, leading to loss of lives, injuries, and captives still held,” he said. 

“The presence of soldiers in Oke-Ode is already making a difference, and we thank the Federal Government for listening.”

The military’s arrival has spurred a revival of commercial activities, with Ajala-Bello noting that the community’s five-day interval market resumed vibrantly on Thursday. 

To support displaced residents, the community is organizing free transportation from Ilorin’s Olak Petroleum Station, opposite A Division, starting at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday to help families return home.

The deployment aligns with a Senate resolution on Wednesday, prompted by a motion from Senator Oyelola Ashiru (Kwara South), urging the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base near Ifelodun’s forest belts. 

Ashiru highlighted the humanitarian crisis caused by relentless attacks, kidnappings, and killings, which have crippled farms, schools, and local economies while increasing youth vulnerability to crime. 

He warned that unchecked insecurity could destabilize the North-Central and South-West regions.

Ajala-Bello urged the government and security agencies to sustain their efforts, emphasizing that banditry and criminality in Kwara must be eradicated. 

“We pray for full recovery for victims and the community,” he said, as residents look forward to a safer, more prosperous future.