BREAKING: Kwara Residents Flee As Suspected Bandits Attack Communities, Overpower Vigilantes, Burn Vehicles

There is tension in Lata Nna community and surrounding villages in Kwara North district, Kwara State, following an invasion by suspected bandits, who have been shooting violently, forcing residents to flee from their jomes. 

SaharaReporters learnt on Saturday that the attack by the bandits occurred around 7:30pm on Friday, and sent shockwaves through Lata Nna and neighbouring villages, prompting a mass exodus of residents.

According to the eyewitness, who spoke to NupekoTV, a group of vigilantes on patrol were ambushed as they returned from the bush. 

Their vehicles were reportedly burnt down, triggering widespread panic. 

"The gunshots were terrifying," the caller recounted, describing how many community members, including those from surrounding villages like Kokodo and Gada, fled their homes in fear.

Addressing claims that the initial report of an attack was false, the distraught resident vehemently refuted them. "Whosoever said [it's false] will be punished by God," he declared, expressing profound distress. "How can I play with the life of his family? Since Monday my communities are living in panic fear of being attacked. What will I gain if I lied? And if they think I'm lying, they should come to Lata Nna."

The caller painted a grim picture of the criminals' capabilities, stressing that these "criminals are armed with sophisticated weapons; they are difficult for vigilantes to battle with."

The community is now making an urgent appeal for government intervention to dislodge these heavily armed groups. 

The latest incident underscores the escalating insecurity in Kwara North, putting immense pressure on security agencies to provide effective protection for vulnerable communities.

SaharaReporters had last week reported that panic gripped the residents of Babanla community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State following a violent attack by suspected bandits, which led to the abduction of two teenage girls.

The victims, identified as Aisha Yahaya and Mariam Yusuf, aged between 16 and 17, were reportedly kidnapped around 8:30 p.m., when the gunmen stormed the community on motorcycles and began shooting sporadically into the air.

Eyewitnesses who spoke to Sobi FM, a Kwara-based platform, had confirmed that the attackers had made an initial attempt to abduct the wife of the traditional ruler, but she narrowly escaped.