Some residents of Lafiagi in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State on Monday set the office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the town on fire following the arrest of some protesters.

Three cars reportedly belonging to senior officials of the agency were also burnt during the protest.

Daily Trust gathered that the protesters took to the streets over what they described as worsening insecurity in their communities, citing repeated incidents of terrorism, kidnapping and killings.

The demonstrators, mostly youths, expressed frustration over the situation and called for urgent government intervention.

In a viral video from the scene, the protesters were seen chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards demanding action to end the bloodshed and abductions that have disrupted daily life in the area.

During the protest, the NDLEA office was set on fire and the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, Alhaji Mohammed Kudu Kawu, was also vandalised, with windows smashed and parts of the building damaged, it was further learnt.

A resident, Yunusa Ahmed, told Daily Trust that the youths reacted after some of the protesters were arrested by NDLEA operatives who accused them of being drug addicts.

He said, “The NDLEA arrested some of the protesters,, claiming they were drug addicts. Others went to the agency’s office to demand their release, and during the confrontation, the office and some vehicles, about three cars, were burnt.”

Another resident who preferred not to be named said, “We have been crying and dying in silence. People are being kidnapped every week. We no longer sleep with both eyes closed, and nobody seems to care about our plight.

The spokeswoman for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, confirmed the incident in a statement last night.