Suspected bandits have launched another deadly attack in Kwara State, killing five forest guards in Nuku village, Kaiama Local Government Area, in the early hours of Friday.
According to a community source, the attackers stormed the village around 3:00 a.m., firing gunshots indiscriminately and causing panic among residents. The assailants reportedly operated for hours without any resistance.
“They entered through their usual route in large numbers and immediately began shooting.
Within a short time, several innocent people, including newly recruited forest guards, were killed,” the source disclosed.
During the attack properties were also destroyed. Motorcycles belonging to the forest guards were set ablaze, while patrol vehicles used by mobile police officers were not spared.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Police Command had yet to release an official statement on the incident. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said she had not been briefed but promised to provide updates once details become available.
The latest attack has further heightened fear among residents, who say the security situation in the area continues to deteriorate.
This incident comes barely two months after a deadly attack on Woro and neighbouring communities in the same local government area, where over 200 people were reportedly killed and about 176 others abducted.
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Tension has also increased following the emergence of a recent video showing abducted villagers pleading for rescue. In the footage, victims many of them women and children appealed to the government for urgent intervention.
“We have been here since February 3. Please come to our rescue. We have small children, and some women are pregnant,” one of the captives said.
In the same video, an armed man claimed responsibility for the abduction, stating that the captives were given a chance to appeal to authorities.
Earlier footage released in February had shown dozens of abducted women and children, with some claiming they were taken from Woro and Kaiama communities.
Reacting at the time, the Kwara State Government expressed concern over the situation and assured residents of intensified efforts to secure the victims’ release.
The Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, said the government remains committed to rescuing all affected persons but noted that conflicting reports have made it difficult to confirm the exact number of abductees.
Despite these assurances, residents say the continued attacks highlight the vulnerability of rural communities, as families of abducted victims remain in distress awaiting their safe return.
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