3 Soldiers, 5 Civilians Dead as Bandits Storm Kwara Communities, Abduct Women, Children

At least five residents and three soldiers have been killed in a coordinated attack by suspected bandits on the twin communities of Mari and Dina in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The deadly incident occurred on Thursday when heavily armed assailants stormed the rural settlements, unleashing terror on residents and forcing many to flee into surrounding bushes for safety, according to local sources.

The bandits invaded the villages in large numbers, firing indiscriminately and creating panic among villagers who were caught unprepared for the onslaught. At least five villagers were confirmed killed during the raid, while several others sustained gunshot wounds and injuries as they attempted to escape the violence.

“People were running helter-skelter when the bandits started shooting sporadically. Some of the victims were hit by bullets while trying to flee into nearby bushes. It was a terrifying situation because nobody knew where the next gunshot would come from,” a resident said.

The attackers reportedly abducted several residents, including women and children, and forcefully marched them into the forest, leaving families in anguish over the fate of their loved ones. “The bandits operated for hours. They took many women and children away with them. Their whereabouts remain unknown,” another source disclosed.

Upon receiving distress calls from the affected communities, the Forward Operational Base in Patigi was alerted to the ongoing attack. A team of military personnel was mobilised to the scene in a bid to repel the attackers and rescue the kidnapped victims.

However, the bandits had reportedly laid a calculated ambush along the route taken by the reinforcement team. During the intense gun battle that followed, three soldiers were killed while attempting to confront the assailants.,

“The soldiers moved in to rescue the villagers but the bandits had already positioned themselves strategically. It was a deadly ambush. The attackers opened heavy fire on the troops,” a source explained.

The bandits also reportedly set ablaze a military patrol vehicle during the confrontation, reducing it to ashes and further complicating rescue efforts.

Eyewitnesses described the attack as highly coordinated, suggesting that the assailants had prior knowledge of the terrain and movements of security operatives.

Residents of the affected communities have expressed fear over the increasing frequency of bandit attacks in the area, calling on security agencies and government authorities to intensify efforts to protect lives and property.

“This is becoming too much for us. People can no longer sleep with both eyes closed. We are appealing to the government to deploy more security personnel to this area before more lives are lost,” a community member lamented.

Efforts to reach military authorities for official confirmation of the casualties were unsuccessful.