Bandits strike in Kwara community, abduct one-year-old child, two others

…as hundreds of bandits attack Kwara community, kill police officer, four others

Armed bandits struck on Sunday night at Gbale community of Lafiagi Emirate, in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The attack came barely hours after the release of a couple in the Emirate by yet to be identified abductors.

The bandits, according to reports, abducted three residents including a one-year old child. It was said that they missed their principal target during the attack.

The victims, identified as Ishiaku Ndaman (30), Aisha Yunusa Ndaman (28) and her one-year-old child, were taken after the assailants failed to find their initial target.

A resident said, “The bandits invaded the community between 12:00 am and 1:00 am, firing their weapons and moving confidently through the streets.

“The criminals went to a specific house but after failing to locate the owner, they proceeded to the neighboring home where they abducted the three victims.”

As of the time of filing this report, security forces are yet to visit Gbale community and residents are terrified of another attack.

The residents have issued a passionate plea to the government to intervene and rescue of their loved ones.

Efforts to reach the security agencies in the state proved abortive at the time of this report on Monday.

In another development, the Police have confirmed that five people, including a police officer, died on Friday when hundreds of armed bandits rode on motorcycles into Babanla, a town in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, and attacked the local police station and market.

The state police spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday. She identified the slain police officer as Adejumo Wasiu.

Mrs Ejire-Adetoun said it required a coordinated response by police, the Nigerian Army, vigilantes and local hunters to end the attack.

She said peace has been restored in the community, and the security forces were in pursuit of the bandits.

The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, the Director of the State Security Services (SSS), had visited Babanla to evaluate the security situation.

During the visit, the security chiefs met with the community’s traditional ruler, Yusuf Alabi, and toured key locations in the community and the surrounding areas.

She said the police chief ordered sustained armed patrols, continuous intelligence gathering, and the deployment of specialised tracking teams.

At the same time, the SSS pledged continuous intelligence support to apprehend all those involved in the attack.
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In June, we captured the severity of the security situation in the southern senatorial district of Kwara State.

Violent crimes have continued unabated in the area, despite several measures taken by the state government to restore order and public safety in the district.

Last week, a video circulated on social media of one of the communities in the same Ifelodun Local Government Area that residents deserted after months of incessant attacks by bandits.

Eka, Upper Eka, Lower Eka, Kudagbari, Gbanmu, Oloruntele, Baba Sango, Ibudo Idowu, Ibudo Olosun, Ayetoro, and Apata Olosun are some of the communities in the area reported to have been deserted by residents.

In response, the federal government deployed five fighter jets to help a team of joint security personnel deployed to Babanla and the surrounding area.