Panic has gripped residents of the Ikerin/Ajuba axis in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State following a late-night attack by suspected terrorists that reportedly left several people kidnapped, others injured, and some feared dead.
According to local sources who spoke to SaharaReporters, the attackers invaded the community on Saturday night, firing sporadically as they moved through the area.
Residents described the assault as sudden and highly coordinated, saying the gunmen operated for an extended period without immediate resistance from security forces.
One resident said the attack threw the community into chaos as families fled into nearby bushes to escape the gunfire.
“The shooting was heavy. Everybody ran. We don’t even know who is alive or missing now,” a local source said.
Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the exact number of victims kidnapped or injured had not yet been verified, as authorities and community leaders were still assessing the situation.
Security sources have yet to release an official statement on the incident at the time of filing this report.
The attack has further heightened concerns over worsening insecurity in parts of Kwara South, where several rural communities have recently experienced repeated raids, kidnappings, and violent incursions by armed groups.
Residents are now calling on the government and security agencies to urgently strengthen protection in vulnerable communities, especially in remote settlements increasingly exposed to armed attacks.
The latest incident adds to growing fears among locals that criminal groups are expanding their operations across forest-linked corridors in the region, leaving communities in a state of fear and uncertainty.