Over 12 Forest Guards Killed As Bandits Raid Kwara Communities

A series of coordinated attacks on Sunday left Kwara State reeling in grief after gunmen invaded Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government Area and Tsaragi in Edu Local Government Area, killing scores and abducting an unspecified number of residents.

At Oke-Ode, bandits reportedly stormed the community in the early hours of the morning, targeting newly recruited forest guards, hunters, vigilantes and civilians.

Unconfirmed reports put the death toll from the incidents at over 15.

Among the victims were community leaders identified as Oji, Saheed Metubi and Baale Ógba Ayo.

The attackers also kidnapped four members of the same family before fleeing the area.

Witnesses said bodies of the slain vigilantes were later taken to the police station while the injured were rushed to the General Hospital in Share.

A local vigilante leader, Ajetunmobi, accused authorities of ignoring early warnings.

“We heard since Saturday night that the bandits were moving around the community and sent alerts to the security operatives. Unfortunately, they still attacked, starting with the duty post”, he said.

Viral videos from the aftermath showed the lifeless bodies of vigilantes on the ground, underscoring the scale of the tragedy.

In a separate incident just hours earlier, gunmen abducted a businessman, Suleiman Ndana, popularly known as Manager, in Tsaragi, Edu Local Government Area.

Witnesses said the attack occurred around midnight when heavily armed men stormed his residence, shooting into the air before whisking him away.

Ndana, who recently built a fuel station in Yana Kokonna, was believed to have been the prime target.

On Saturday, residents said a driver was killed while about four passengers in the vehicle were marched into the forest in Omu Aran

The abduction followed another incident four days earlier at Maganiko Ndanangi in Lafiagi Emirate, where suspected bandits kidnapped a married woman, Aisha Gogo, and a 16-year-old girl, Amina, during a midnight raid.

Amid the mounting insecurity, the National President of the Oke-Ode Community Development Association, Alhaji Ganiyu Ajala, condemned the killings and urged the government to intensify its security response.

“While commending the government on the measures already taken, we call for redoubled efforts to completely dislodge these undesirable elements from Oke-Ode and the entire state,” he said.

The police spokesperson in the state, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incidents but said full details would be released after receiving reports from the affected divisions.

Reacting to the latest attacks, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq called for urgent reinforcement of security deployments to the state.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor expressed deep sorrow over the killings and paid tribute to the vigilantes and forest guards who resisted the attackers.

“My heartfelt condolences go to the families of the victims. Nothing can compensate for the bereaved, in spite of our efforts and the investments in training forest guards to support the conventional forces. Our people are understandably concerned, and I share their grief,” the governor said.

He urged residents to remain calm and avoid reprisal actions while assuring them of the government’s continued efforts to restore safety.

The statement added that the Army Headquarters has directed the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan to relocate temporarily to Kwara to coordinate operations against the criminals.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Ministry of Health has relocated its scheduled medical and surgical outreach programme for Ifelodun Local Government from Oke-Ode to Omupo Cottage Hospital.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, said the move was taken after reviewing the security situation in the area.