Bandits Kill Man, Kidnap Two Women in Kwara Community

Suspected bandits have killed a resident and abducted two women during an attack on a Fulani settlement in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The incident occurred on Monday night in the Sodo/Sawmill area on the outskirts of Lafiagi, leaving residents in panic as gunmen stormed the community.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers arrived around 8 p.m., firing sporadically as they invaded the settlement and forced villagers to flee for safety.

Sources in the area said the gunmen appeared to be targeting a prominent Fulani leader, locally referred to as an Ardo, but were unable to locate him during the attack.

The attackers reportedly abducted two women identified as wives of the Fulani leader before escaping into nearby forested areas.

A resident was also shot dead during the assault, further heightening tension in the community.

Security operatives were said to have responded after distress calls were raised, with military personnel engaging the attackers and forcing them to retreat into the forest.

Confirming the incident, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said one person was killed while two women, aged 25 and 35, were abducted during the raid.

According to him, preliminary investigations suggest that the attackers specifically targeted the Fulani leader but failed to capture him.

He added that security forces, including the military and police, had begun tracking the attackers and were currently on their trail.

The police commissioner noted that although the assailants initially escaped into surrounding forests after being repelled, efforts were ongoing to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend those responsible.

The attack has heightened concerns over worsening insecurity in Edu Local Government Area and nearby communities, where residents have repeatedly called for increased security presence and sustained operations against armed criminal groups operating in the Kwara North axis.