One Killed, Two Women Abducted as Bandits Attack Kwara Settlement

Suspected bandits have killed one resident and kidnapped two women during a late-night raid on a Fulani settlement in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The attack occurred on Monday night in the Sodo/Sawmill area on the outskirts of the town, heightening concerns among residents of Kwara North, which has witnessed a series of violent incidents in recent times.

Eyewitnesses said the armed men stormed the settlement around 8 p.m., firing gunshots sporadically and throwing the community into chaos as villagers fled for safety.

Intelligence gathered indicated that the assailants specifically targeted a prominent Fulani leader in the area but could not locate him during the operation. Instead, they abducted two women believed to be wives of the leader before escaping.

A resident was shot dead as the attackers retreated, compounding the fear among locals already struggling with insecurity.

Security personnel responded to distress calls, with troops engaging the bandits and disrupting part of their operation.

Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, told reporters that one person lost his life while two women aged 25 and 35 were taken away.

He disclosed that preliminary investigations showed the attackers had targeted the Fulani leader, known as an Ardo, but were unable to capture him. The police chief added that security forces are currently on the trail of the fleeing suspects, who escaped into the forest after being repelled by the military.

The latest assault has renewed fears over worsening insecurity in Edu and neighbouring local government areas, where residents have repeatedly appealed for stepped-up security operations against criminal gangs operating from forested areas across the Kwara North axis.