Fresh waves of fear have swept through parts of Kwara State following coordinated attacks by suspected bandits who abducted at least eight residents during separate raids on rural communities, SUNTV Global Channel reports.
The attacks, which occurred within days of each other, targeted vulnerable settlements in Isin Local Government Area and Omu-Aran, raising fresh concerns over worsening insecurity in the North-Central state and the safety of rural dwellers.
SUNTV Global Channel gathered that the first incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, at about 6:30am, when heavily armed men stormed Gaa Jimoh community in Ijara Isin, located in Isin Local Government Area. Residents said the attackers arrived in large numbers and operated with alarming boldness.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the gunmen moved freely within the community for several minutes without any form of resistance, firing occasional shots to intimidate residents and prevent intervention. During the raid, five people were forcefully abducted and taken to an unknown destination.
Those kidnapped were identified as Adebayo Saheed (male), Adebayo Fatimah (female), Adebayo Salamat (female), Ibrahim Mohammed (male), and Ibrahim Yusuf (male).
A resident of the community, who spoke to SUNTV Global Channel on condition of anonymity, said the timing of the attack made residents particularly vulnerable.
“They came very early when people were preparing for the day. Some were getting ready for work, others for morning prayers. The gunmen walked around freely for several minutes and took their victims. Nobody could challenge them because of the weapons they carried,” the resident said.
The incident plunged Gaa Jimoh community into panic, with families fleeing their homes while others stayed indoors in fear of a possible return of the attackers.
In a related development, another abduction incident was recorded last Friday evening at about 7:30pm at Gaa Power Line, Omu-Aran, also in Kwara State. Local sources confirmed that no fewer than five armed kidnappers invaded the community under the cover of darkness.
The assailants reportedly fired sporadically into the air to scare residents before abducting three individuals. The victims were identified as Mrs. Fatimah, who was carrying her two-month-old baby, Adama Musa, and Umaru Sanda.
A community leader, who also spoke under anonymity for security reasons, revealed that the kidnappers later released Mrs. Fatimah and her infant without conditions but escaped with the two male victims.
“They later abandoned the woman and her baby, but they took away Adama Musa and Umaru Sanda. The entire community is now living in fear,” the source said.
Following the twin attacks, security agencies have reportedly intensified efforts to track down the perpetrators. SUNTV Global Channel learned that police operatives in Omu-Aran, working in collaboration with local vigilante groups, have launched a manhunt across surrounding forests and suspected hideouts.
The renewed attacks come amid growing public outrage over a viral video that recently surfaced online, allegedly showing suspected bandits in possession of AK-47 rifles and a security vehicle branded with the logo of Ifelodun Local Government Area in Kwara State.
In the widely circulated footage, the suspects claimed that the operational vehicle was supplied by the “Ilorin government” and alleged that their weapons came “from Abuja.” The video triggered widespread condemnation, with many Nigerians accusing the Kwara State Government of complicity or negligence in the handling of security assets.
However, the Kwara State Government has denied the allegations. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Commissioner for Communications, Mrs. Bolanle Olukoju, dismissed reports claiming that the Nigerian Army arrested armed bandits in Ifelodun Local Government Area, describing such reports as false and capable of inciting panic.
According to the government, no security agency reported any arrest of bandits in Ifelodun or elsewhere in the state. Officials claimed that the suspects seen in the viral video were arrested in Auchi, Edo State, despite being found with a vehicle marked with an Ifelodun Local Government insignia.
The government further argued that no state government has the legal authority to arm individuals with AK-47 rifles, insisting that the suspects did not explicitly state that the Kwara State Government supplied them with weapons.
Explaining the presence of the government-branded vehicle, the administration said the van was originally handed over to vigilantes deployed to Ifelodun to support community security operations, but was never returned after the vigilantes left the area.
Despite the explanations, residents across Kwara State remain unconvinced. Many argue that the government has failed to adequately explain how a sensitive security vehicle meant to protect communities ended up in the hands of suspected bandits, or why its disappearance was not immediately addressed.
As kidnappings and armed attacks continue to spread, residents are calling on the federal and state governments to urgently strengthen security architecture, deploy more personnel to rural areas, and restore confidence among communities increasingly living in fear.
