TERROR IN KWARA: Bandits Kill Resident, Abduct Two Women in Midnight Raid on Fulani Settlement
Residents of Lafiagi in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State have been thrown into fear and uncertainty following a deadly attack by suspected bandits who killed a man and abducted two women during a violent raid on a Fulani settlement in the community.
The attack, which occurred on Monday night in the Sodo/Sawmill area on the outskirts of Lafiagi, has once again highlighted the growing security concerns across parts of Kwara North, where residents have repeatedly raised alarm over increasing activities of armed criminal groups.
Eyewitnesses and community sources disclosed that the heavily armed assailants stormed the settlement at about 8 p.m., firing sporadically into the air and around residential areas, forcing villagers to flee for safety as panic spread throughout the community.
According to local sources, the gunmen were believed to have specifically targeted a prominent Fulani leader in the area, identified as the Seriki Fulani, also known as an Ardo. However, after reportedly failing to locate him, the attackers turned their attention to members of his household.
The assailants allegedly abducted two women identified as wives of the Fulani leader before escaping from the community. During the invasion, one resident was fatally shot, further deepening the grief and fear among locals.
Residents described the incident as terrifying, noting that the attackers operated for several minutes before security operatives were alerted. Distress calls were reportedly made to security agencies as the attack unfolded.
Military personnel and other security operatives subsequently mobilised to the area and engaged the fleeing gunmen. Sources said troops successfully repelled the attackers, forcing them to retreat into a nearby forest where efforts to track and apprehend them are currently ongoing.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said one person lost his life during the attack while two women were abducted.
“Yes, one man was killed while two women, aged 25 and 35, who are wives of the Seriki Fulani, were abducted,” the police commissioner stated.
Ojo explained that preliminary investigations suggest the attackers had planned to kidnap the Fulani leader but were unable to find him during the operation.
“The attackers targeted the Fulani leader, Ardo. For now, we are still on their trail. Before we got there, the military had already repelled them, forcing them to run into the forest. We are continuing efforts to track and apprehend them,” he said.
Security agencies have since intensified operations in the area, with ongoing surveillance and search efforts aimed at rescuing the abducted women and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The latest attack has renewed concerns among residents of Edu and neighbouring local government areas, many of whom have repeatedly called on both state and federal authorities to strengthen security presence in vulnerable communities across the Kwara North axis.
Community leaders have warned that unless decisive action is taken against criminal groups operating within forests and remote settlements in the region, residents may continue to face threats of kidnappings, attacks and loss of lives.
