Fresh attacks by suspected bandits in Kwara State have claimed lives and left several residents abducted in separate incidents across Edu and Patigi Local Government Areas, heightening concerns over the growing insecurity in the Kwara North axis.
The latest violence comes amid renewed calls for stronger security operations in rural communities that have increasingly become targets of kidnappers and armed gangs operating around forest corridors linking Kwara to neighbouring states.
In Edu Local Government Area, gunmen attacked a Fulani settlement in the Sodo/Sawmill area on the outskirts of Lafiagi on Monday night.
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Residents said the attackers arrived around 8 p.m., firing sporadically and sending villagers fleeing for safety.
Security sources indicated that the assailants were believed to be searching for a prominent Fulani leader, identified as an Ardo and Seriki Fulani in the community. Unable to locate him, the attackers reportedly abducted two of his wives before escaping.
A resident was also killed during the assault.
Confirming the incident, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said one person lost his life while two women, aged 25 and 35, were kidnapped.
“Yes, one man was killed while two women, 25 and 35 years of age, who are wives of the Seriki Fulani, were abducted,” Ojo said.
The police commissioner disclosed that security forces were actively pursuing the attackers.
In a separate attack in Rani community, Patigi Local Government Area, bandits reportedly killed one resident and abducted two others, including the village head.
A resident who witnessed the incident said the gunmen stormed the community around 7 p.m. while worshippers were preparing for Maghrib prayers.
The latest attacks have intensified fears among residents who say criminal groups continue to exploit difficult terrain and limited security presence in parts of Kwara North.
The incidents also come against the backdrop of outrage over the killing of ECWA cleric Rev. James Audu Issa in Patigi area.
According to reports, the cleric was abducted and ransom negotiations were initiated with his captors. Community sources alleged that despite payments made by the family, the kidnappers later killed him, triggering widespread condemnation across the state.
Community leaders have described the development as a disturbing escalation in criminal activities, warning that rural dwellers increasingly live under the threat of kidnapping, extortion and violent attacks.
Reacting to the security situation, founder of Al-Hikmah University, Dr Abdur-Raheem Oladimeji, urged residents not to lose faith in ongoing efforts by government and security agencies.
He described banditry and kidnapping as attempts by criminal elements to destabilise the state and called for patience while security forces intensify operations.
The worsening insecurity in Kwara mirrors challenges confronting several states in the North Central region, where communities continue to battle kidnappings, attacks on villages and highway abductions.
For residents of affected communities, the immediate concern remains safety as authorities intensify efforts to track down the attackers and secure the release of those abducted.
