There is growing fear in parts of Kwara State as bandits launched multiple attacks on communities in Edu Local Government Area, kidnapping several residents and injuring others within 24 hours.
In the early hours of Sunday, gunmen invaded Lafiagi town and abducted a well-known agro-chemical dealer popularly known as Alhaji Chemical. The attack occurred around 1 a.m. along Taiwo Road, causing panic among residents.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers were heavily armed and engaged local hunters in a brief gun duel before overpowering them and escaping with the victim. “They came around 1 a.m., started shooting, and went straight to his house. The hunters fought back, but the bandits had more weapons,” a resident said.
Barely hours after the Lafiagi incident, another attack was reported in Kokodo village, a border community between Edu and Patigi Local Government Areas, where two Hausa men were kidnapped around midnight on Monday.
According to villagers, the Kokodo attack happened just two hours after the kidnapping of a POS operator in Lafiagi town. The bandits, armed with sophisticated weapons, stormed the community and took the victims from their homes.
During the Kokodo invasion, a teenage girl reportedly escaped from the kidnappers, while a resident who attempted to raise the alarm was shot by the attackers.
“The bandits came with heavy weapons. They kidnapped two men and shot a man who tried to shout for help,” a source told The Informant247.
These incidents follow closely on the heels of a deadly attack on Lile village in Patigi LGA, where several residents were killed, and bandits demanded a N200 million levy from the community.
Banditry has become increasingly rampant in Kwara North, especially in Edu and Patigi LGAs, where communities are being frequently targeted for ransom-related abductions.