Fear swept through Igbonla community in the Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State after a group of armed men, identified locally as bandits, invaded the area late Sunday night and abducted several residents. The attackers reportedly struck around midnight, firing shots into the air to terrorize the community before carting away their victims.
Eyewitnesses who spoke under the condition of anonymity recounted how the gunmen moved swiftly through the village, targeting houses at random and creating chaos as families fled into the darkness. “The attack happened on Sunday night. We don’t yet know the exact number of people kidnapped, but several residents were taken away,” one source said, his voice still trembling from fear.
Residents have since fled the area, seeking refuge in nearby villages and towns. The once-bustling community now lies in silence, with deserted streets and locked homes reflecting the panic left behind by the assailants. Locals say the sound of gunfire echoed for several minutes before the attackers disappeared into surrounding bushes.
Security agencies have begun manhunts in the region. Teams of police officers and local vigilante groups have reportedly been deployed to comb the forests and track down the attackers. Authorities, however, are yet to release official details of the incident or the number of people missing.
Neither the Kwara State Police Command nor the state government has issued a formal statement as at the time of this report. The absence of immediate response has further fueled anxiety among residents, who fear that the kidnappers might strike again.
This latest abduction underscores the growing insecurity in parts of Kwara South, where recurring cases of kidnapping and armed raids have disrupted rural life. For the people of Igbonla, the night of terror has become a painful reminder of how far-reaching the threat of banditry has spread across the state.
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