From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Armed men suspected to be bandits have launched renewed attacks on rural communities in Kwara State, abducting a family of three in broad daylight and whisking away at least 15 other residents in separate overnight raids across Ifelodun Local Government Area.
The latest incident occurred on Thursday afternoon in Olodan community within the Ora District of Ifelodun Local Government Area, where a husband, his wife, and their child were taken during a sudden attack that threw the community into confusion.
A local source said the attackers struck without warning. “There was kidnapping too at Olodan in Ora District this afternoon. Three people were involved — a family of three: husband, wife and child,” the source said.
The afternoon abduction came just hours after another coordinated night raid hit nearby settlements, deepening fears among residents already grappling with repeated insecurity.
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In the overnight attacks, at least 15 people were reportedly kidnapped from Kajola and Idi-Iya Fulani Camp, both located near Yaru in the Igbaja District of Ifelodun LGA.
Residents said the pattern of attacks suggested a coordinated operation across multiple communities, with little resistance encountered by the attackers.
“The situation is becoming unbearable. They move from one village to another without anyone stopping them,” a resident lamented.
Following the attacks, a joint local rescue effort was launched involving forest guards, vigilantes, and hunters drawn from Ifelodun and neighbouring Isin Local Government Area. However, the operation ended without success.
A source involved in the search confirmed the setback. “Efforts of the rescue team comprising Forest Guards, hunters and vigilante squad from Ifelodun and Isin LGAs throughout the day proved abortive,” the source said.
The repeated abductions have heightened tension across affected communities, with residents expressing frustration over what they describe as slow and ineffective security response despite increasing attacks in rural parts of the state.
Many locals are now calling on both the Kwara State Government and federal security agencies to urgently reinforce rural security and prevent further kidnappings, especially in farming settlements that have become frequent targets.
“We are living in fear every day. People can no longer go to their farms or travel freely. Something urgent must be done,” another resident said.
The latest incidents add to a growing list of insecurity cases in parts of Kwara South, where rural communities have continued to suffer kidnappings, killings, and forced displacement in recent months.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the coordinated attacks, while the abducted victims’ whereabouts remain unknown.
