Months After Protest, Yikpata NYSC Camp Confirmed as IDP Camp as Kwara Govt and UNICEF Donate Relief Items

Months After Protest, Yikpata NYSC Camp Confirmed as IDP Camp as Kwara Govt and UNICEF Donate Relief Items

The Kwara State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has provided relief and sanitation materials to displaced residents currently staying at the Yikpata camp following the recent security challenges affecting parts of Kwara North.

According to reports by The Informant247, the donation included Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) materials alongside other relief supplies, which were officially handed over to the camp management for distribution to internally displaced persons taking refuge at the facility.

Officials of the Kwara State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) carried out the delivery exercise and formally presented the materials to the Camp Commandant, Captain Umar Adamu.

The Yikpata camp is currently sheltering over 1,000 displaced persons, including about 800 children, 500 women, and 165 men displaced by insecurity in their communities.

Speaking during the presentation, the General Manager of RUWASSA, Mr. Olorunfemi Adewumi Oladipo, represented by the Head of Department, Sanitation and Hygiene, Mr. Abdulazeez Olalekan Rufai, commended the Kwara State Government and UNICEF for their continued support for vulnerable residents affected by displacement.

He said the intervention reflects the strong partnership between the state government and development partners in addressing humanitarian challenges across affected communities.

Rufai explained that the relief materials would help improve hygiene and sanitation conditions within the camp while easing the hardship being experienced by displaced families.

He further assured residents that the government and its partners would continue to provide support aimed at protecting their safety, dignity, and wellbeing as efforts continue to restore peace to their communities.

He also disclosed that RUWASSA would sustain sanitation awareness campaigns and hygiene interventions within the camp to prevent disease outbreaks and maintain a healthy environment.

Rufai urged camp residents to make proper use of the materials provided, stressing the importance of hygiene and cleanliness in humanitarian settings.

Receiving the items on behalf of the camp management, Captain Umar Adamu appreciated the Kwara State Government and UNICEF for what he described as a timely intervention for displaced residents.

He assured that the materials would be distributed fairly and transparently among beneficiaries in the camp.

Also speaking, a representative of the displaced persons, Mr. Bello Abubakar, popularly known as the “Camp Teacher,” expressed gratitude to the government and UNICEF for the support extended to displaced families.

He said the intervention had brought relief and renewed hope to many residents, particularly women and children who continue to face the realities of displacement.

The intervention forms part of ongoing humanitarian efforts by the Kwara State Government and its development partners to improve living conditions and provide support for internally displaced persons across affected communities in the state.

Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Kwara North Youths Protest in Ilorin Over NYSC Camp Conversion as Killings Persist

A group of youths from Kwara North has a protest against ‘the continuous and incessant killings in their communities.

They called on the Kwara State Government to take decisive action against criminal elements operating in the area.

Speaking during the protest at the front of the government house, the group’s spokesperson, Usman Harun, popularly known as Commutator, said the demonstration was not sponsored by any individual or political group.

He expressed particular concern over the reported conversion of the Kwara State orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area, into an Internally Displaced Persons facility.

According to him “If the NYSC camp is not secure for corps members who stay there for just three weeks before returning to Ilorin, then it should not be used to house displaced persons captured during raids of camps by government forces”.

The group further expressed concerns about ”the political and economic implications often associated with the establishment of IDP camps”.

He warned against measures that could prolong displacement rather than address the root causes of insecurity.

He rejected any form of negotiation with criminal groups, insisting that dialogue or perceived “romance” with bandits had not yielded positive results in the past.

“We do not want any form of negotiations with criminals. It never ends well. The government must take firm and decisive action to stop the killings,” the spokesperson said.

He called for a comprehensive support plan for victims and families affected by the violence, urging the state government to ensure they are not abandoned.

He also appealed to authorities to prioritise the safety of lives and property and implement sustainable security strategies to restore peace and confidence in the affected communities.

Another protester, Comrade Sehidu Musa Tsaragi, demanded for urgent government intervention to address the “worsening insecurity and abandonment of victims in Kwara North.

He also rejected alleged “transitional and secret camps” within local government areas, maintaining that such measures do not address the root causes of insecurity.

He further called for the immediate release of 176 persons allegedly kidnapped in Woro community, urging the Kwara State Government to take all necessary steps to secure their freedom.

“Our 175 family members must be returned. Whatever the government needs to do, they must ensure they are brought back,” he said.

According to him, several farmers who invested millions of naira into cultivation have been unable to harvest their crops due to security threats, worsening hunger and hardship across communities.

“Our people cannot go to the farm, market and our children cannot go to school. This must stop. We need peace in Kwara North,” he added.

The group also demanded the establishment of a functional military barracks in Kwara North to strengthen security presence and deter further attacks.

The protest took an emotional turn when a female, Khadija Ibrahim, broke down in tears while recounting how her sister was shot during a recent attack.

According to her, the incident occurred on Sunday evening when her sister stepped out briefly.

“She was hit by three bullets and there was no ambulance at the hospital. We do not even have a car in our house,” she said.

Khadija explained that the family had to move around begging for a vehicle before they could transport her sister from Lafiagi to Ilorin for emergency treatment.

“We were begging people to help us with a car. We finally arrived in Ilorin around 2 a.m. on Sunday. She had already lost a lot of blood,” she said tearfully.

She added that her sister remains hospitalised and has undergone surgery, with the family struggling to cope with the medical expenses.

“This is a cry for help, my sister Maimuna needs help, I don’t want to lose her. The government should not abandon victims like us,” she said.

Source: The Informant247