Fear and tension gripped residents of Lafiagi in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State after suspected bandits attacked a Fulani settlement on the outskirts of the town, killing one resident and abducting two women during a late-night raid.
The incident, which occurred on Monday night in the Sodo/Sawmill area, has further heightened concerns over rising insecurity in parts of Kwara North, where residents have repeatedly complained about attacks by armed groups operating in rural communities. According to eyewitnesses and local sources, the gunmen stormed the settlement at about 8 pm, firing sporadically into the air and causing panic among villagers, many of whom fled into nearby bushes to escape the attack.
Residents said the attackers arrived in large numbers and appeared to have come with a specific mission. Community members alleged that the gunmen were searching for a prominent Fulani leader believed to be residing within the settlement. One resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said the attackers moved from hut to hut demanding information about the whereabouts of the community leader.
“They came shooting and everyone started running for safety. People were screaming and children were crying. The attackers were asking for a particular Fulani leader, but they could not find him,” the source said. After reportedly failing to locate the man, the assailants allegedly turned their anger on members of the household, abducting two women believed to be wives of the Fulani leader before fleeing the area.
During the chaos, a resident identified simply as a member of the settlement was shot dead by the attackers. His death has thrown the community into mourning, with residents lamenting the worsening security situation in the area. Another source disclosed that the attack lasted for several minutes as the gunmen operated without resistance before escaping through nearby routes believed to connect surrounding forests. “The entire community is living in fear now. People no longer feel safe, especially at night.
This is not the first security threat we have experienced, but this one has left many traumatised,” the resident added. Local vigilante groups and security operatives were said to have arrived in the area after the attackers had already escaped. The latest attack has renewed calls for stronger security presence in Edu Local Government Area and other parts of Kwara North, where communities bordering forest areas have become increasingly vulnerable to attacks, kidnappings and cattle rustling.
Residents urged the state government and security agencies to intensify surveillance and conduct coordinated operations aimed at flushing out criminal elements hiding in forests around the region. Community leaders also appealed for improved intelligence gathering and rapid response mechanisms to prevent future attacks and secure the release of the abducted women.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the Kwara State Police Command regarding the incident, while efforts to obtain confirmation from local authorities were ongoing.
The attack adds to growing concerns over insecurity across several rural communities in the North Central region, where armed groups have continued to target vulnerable settlements despite ongoing security operations.
