Rights Group Condemns Violent Dispersal of Women Protesters in Kwara

The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has strongly denounced the violent attack on a group of peaceful women protesters at the Kwara State Government House on Tuesday, labeling the incident a severe human rights violation and an assault on democratic principles.

The protesters, women from the Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area, had gathered to demand government action regarding the prolonged kidnapping of their husbands and children.

Video footage from the scene shows an elderly woman in a hijab weeping uncontrollably, stating in Yoruba, “They have abducted us all in Oke-Ode,” while others held placards behind her.

The peaceful demonstration was abruptly interrupted when armed men wielding canes arrived and violently dispersed the crowd.

In a statement released on Tuesday, CHSR President Alex Omotehinse described the attack as “barbaric, cowardly, and utterly reprehensible.” The organization emphasized that the grieving women posed no threat to public order.

“These were mothers, wives, and daughters whose loved ones remain in captivity. Their protest was a desperate cry for help, not an act of lawlessness,” the statement read.

The group also expressed alarm at the alleged failure of security personnel present to intervene, suggesting their inaction amounted to dereliction of duty and possible complicity.

CHSR highlighted that affected families have received little communication or reassurance from authorities, a situation that forced the women to protest as a last resort. The organization warned against normalizing violence against citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully.

“What happened in Ilorin is a dark stain on our national conscience. When peaceful citizens are attacked for demanding protection, the very foundation of governance is threatened,” the statement continued.

The CHSR has called on both the Kwara State and Federal Governments to immediately investigate the incident and prosecute all individuals involved in ordering, facilitating, or executing the attack.

They also demanded a public explanation from the security agencies present at the scene.