The wave of insecurity rocking Kwara State has taken another frightening turn as bandits abducted two brothers while they were working on their cassava farm in Edu Local Government Area.
The attack happened on Wednesday at Bokungi Zambufu community under the Lafiagi Emirate. Eyewitnesses told NupekoTV that the gunmen stormed the farmland and began shooting sporadically, forcing villagers to run for safety. Unfortunately, the two brothers could not escape and were whisked away.
One of the victims, Mohammed Mohammed, is well-known in the community and a former President of the National Association of Nupe Students (NANUS). His abduction has sent shockwaves across Kwara North, where farmers already live in fear of recurring kidnappings that threaten agriculture in the region.
Residents have expressed anger at what they see as government failure to curb the rising attacks, warning that food production could soon be crippled if farmers continue to abandon their lands. As of now, the victims’ whereabouts remain unknown, and security operatives have yet to release an official statement.
Just days before, on Monday, two sons of a community youth leader were kidnapped in Essanti village, Patigi Local Government Area. The victims were returning from their farm around 1:30 p.m. when they were stopped and taken away.
Community sources revealed that the bandits openly admitted abducting the youth leader’s children as a strategy to silence villagers and discourage them from resisting future attacks. Once the kidnappers confirmed the boys were from Essanti, they were held hostage immediately.
Sunday night also saw Marri Village in Patigi LGA come under siege. Armed men invaded between 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. during heavy rainfall, killing one person, injuring another, and carting away several motorcycles.
Earlier that same day, Oke-Ode in Ifelodun LGA was hit by yet another tragedy. According to SaharaReporters, 12 vigilantes, including the Baale (traditional head) of Ogbayo, were killed during a violent raid. The Kwara State Police Command later confirmed the attack, stating that gunmen invaded around 7:00 a.m. and opened fire indiscriminately.
A joint team of police officers and members of the National Forest Security Service arrived at the scene to meet the lifeless bodies of the victims, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Four others were rushed to the hospital with injuries.
The police command assured that security agencies, in collaboration with the military, are working tirelessly to hunt down the perpetrators. But for many residents in Kwara North, the fear remains: their communities are fast becoming hunting grounds for bandits.
