EXCLUSIVE: Kwara Governor AbdulRazaq Buys N400Million Property, Demolishes It To Build Retirement Home Amid Rising Insecurity –Govt Sources

Amid escalating insecurity across Kwara State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has reportedly purchased a N400 million property on AbdulRazaq Road in Ilorin, demolished it, and commenced construction of a new retirement home.

Multiple top government sources told SaharaReporters that the governor acquired the house from Chief Olusola Adekanola, a prominent chartered accountant.

The property sits behind a banquet hall and directly opposite the residence of the governor’s brother, AbdulRazaq Alimi, in an area home to some of the state’s most powerful political figures.

The property situated at AbdulRazaq Road, which has now become a hub for the state’s political elite, houses former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Senator Saliu Mustapha, Senator Smart Adeyemi, businessman Moshood Mustapha, and industrialist Kamarudeen Kamwire, among others.

Sources said the governor has embarked on massive infrastructure upgrades on and around this road, raising concerns about whether state resources are being diverted to serve his personal interests rather than public needs.

"The house faced the residence of the governor’s brother, where Governor AbdulRazaq has been staying since assuming office,” one of the sources said.

"Governor AbdulRazaq has strategically reconstructed all the roads in and around the well-known AbdulRazaq Road, where his personal retirement home is currently under construction.

"The area, famous for hosting the residences of prominent political figures in the state, is now where the governor is building his own home."

One government insider identified the person supervising many of the governor’s private projects as Araba Oluwafemi Sanni, a civil engineer and close associate of AbdulRazaq.

Araba, reportedly the owner of Flow FM and Chairman of Stefolga Group, is said to be handling multiple high-profile government contracts, including the ongoing construction of the new Kwara State Secretariat and the main entrance gate to the Government House.

According to the source, Araba also acts as a “front” for the governor in managing his private investments, shielding them from public scrutiny.

"He is a civil engineer who supervises most of AA’s projects and also handles contractor engagements. He is practically AA’s frontman and bagman," the source explained.

Another source noted that the governor has “strategically rebuilt” all the roads leading to AbdulRazaq Road, citing the construction of his new personal retirement home as a primary motivation.

The source noted that while many parts of Kwara State continue to experience relentless bandit attacks—forcing hundreds of residents in Kwara North and Kwara South to flee their homes—the governor appears more focused on developing luxury private residences than addressing worsening security challenges.

"Despite the growing insecurity in the state, Governor AbdulRahman is busy constructing multiple multimillion-naira houses for himself using Kwara State funds, while bandits continue to terrorize communities across the state, from Kwara North to Kwara South.

"Hundreds of residents have fled their homes due to daily attacks and kidnappings. Instead of allocating the funds to combat insecurity, he is focused on building a retirement home for himself," the source added.

On August 17, 2025, SaharaReporters reported that hundreds of residents in Kwara South have abandoned their ancestral homes following a surge in kidnapping incidents, particularly in Ifelodun Local Government Area, where attacks by suspected armed bandits have become a daily occurrence.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters shows a resident, identified as Ganiyu Babatunde, pleading with the Kwara State Government to intervene and protect the people from worsening insecurity urgently.

Communities such as Sagbe, Ologomo, Alabe, and Babanla in Ifelodun Local Government Area are among the hardest hit, with families forced to flee in large numbers.

SaharaReporters gathered that many residents, including women and children, were seen at Oke-Ode garage with their belongings, desperately seeking vehicles to convey them to safer locations.

Locals say the wave of kidnappings has left them living in fear, with many abandoning their farms, homes, and businesses as the insecurity crisis deepens.

Some of the affected people lamented that if their communities became deserted, there would be no one left for the government to govern.

They expressed frustration, explaining that if the rightful owners abandoned their ancestral homes, strangers could easily take over their heritage.

Attempts to obtain a response from the government were unsuccessful.