Category: News

Gov Abdulrazaq seeks increased security deployment following Oke Ode attacks

• ⁠Mourns forest guards, residents lost in Sunday incident
• Let’s not turn on ourselves, Gov appeals to residents⁠
• Army HQ directs GOC Ibadan to relocate to Kwara

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has called for increased security deployments to the state to rout the criminals involved in attacks in parts of the state.

In a statement following an unfortunate attack on the positions of the forest guards and surrounding areas of Oke Ode, the Governor said the state requires more military deployments to roll back the activities of the criminals in parts of Kwara South and Kwara North.

He regretted the loss of innocent civilians and the forest guards who mounted a spirited resistance to the assailants in the early morning incident on grounds of patriotism and love for their communities.

“My heartfelt condolences go to the families. No word can adequately capture the depth of my sadness and nothing can compensate the bereaved families over these incidents, in spite of our efforts and the investments in enlisting and training the forest guards to bolster the conventional forces. Our people are understandably concerned about the situation, and I wholeheartedly share in this grief,” the Governor said in the statement on Sunday.

“While we appreciate the efforts and unquantifiable sacrifices of the security forces as well as the successes so far, we definitely need to do a lot more until we are completely out of the wood.

“Finally, I urge our brave residents to remain calm and avoid the temptation to turn on ourselves. I equally commend all the forest guards and the local hunters who, though lost five of their compatriots, equally neutralised several of the attackers. We will forever be grateful to all of them as our heroes.”

The Army Headquarters, meanwhile, has directed the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan, to immediately relocate to Kwara to further coordinate and boost military response to the development.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
September 28, 2025

Gov AbdulRazaq Seeks More Security Deployment After Sunday Killings in Kwara

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has called for increased security deployments to the state following Sunday’s deadly attacks in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, which left several forest guards and residents dead.

In a statement on Sunday made available to the Punch and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor described the incident as “unfortunate,” stressing that the state requires more military support to roll back the activities of criminals in parts of Kwara South and North.

He expressed deep sorrow over the killings, noting that the forest guards and hunters had put up a spirited resistance against the bandits out of patriotism and love for their communities.

“My heartfelt condolences go to the families. No word can adequately capture the depth of my sadness, and nothing can compensate the bereaved families over these incidents, in spite of our efforts and the investments in enlisting and training the forest guards to bolster the conventional forces,” the statement read.

The governor acknowledged public concerns about rising insecurity and assured residents of his administration’s commitment to working with federal security agencies to restore peace.

“While we appreciate the efforts and unquantifiable sacrifices of the security forces as well as the successes so far, we definitely need to do a lot more until we are completely out of the wood,” he added.

AbdulRazaq urged residents to remain calm and resist any temptation to turn against one another, praising the courage of the local security operatives who confronted the attackers.

“I equally commend all the forest guards and the local hunters who, though lost five of their compatriots, equally neutralised several of the attackers. We will forever be grateful to all of them as our heroes,” he said.

Sunday’s attack in Oke-Ode and Tsaraji in Ifelodun and Edu LGA respectively is the latest in a series of violent raids across Kwara communities, where vigilantes, hunters, and residents have repeatedly come under siege from suspected bandits.

UPDATE: Bandits Kill 10, Abduct Several in Oke Ode Community Despite Govt’s Denial

(The image contains in this report contains violent content, viewers discretion is advised)

Contrary to claims by a government source that security operatives had repelled an attack in Oke Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, no fewer than 10 persons were confirmed killed on Sunday morning when bandits invaded the community.

An unspecified number of residents were also reportedly kidnapped.

A member of the local vigilante group in the town, identified simply as Ajetunmobi, told Sobi FM that the government was engaging in propaganda over the incident.

“We have been hearing that the bandits were around the community since Saturday night and we sent out messages to security operatives to be prepared. To our surprise, this morning the attackers started the attack from the duty post, targeting the vigilantes,” he said.

According to him, among those killed were community members identified as Oji, Saheed Metubi, Baale Ógba Ayo, among others.

He said the corpses had been taken to the police station while the injured were rushed to the General Hospital in Share.

He accused the government of failing in its primary duty of protecting citizens, noting that intelligence about a possible attack had circulated days earlier.

“The government failed in its primary duty. Information has been circulating for some time now that they are planning to attack Oke Ode. Why were the soldiers withdrawn?” he asked.

Meanwhile, the National President of the Oke Ode Community Development Association, Alhaji Ganiyu Ajala, while condemning the killings, urged the state government to intensify its security measures.

“While commending the government on the various security measures already put in place, we call for redoubling of efforts towards completely routing these undesirable elements from the Oke Ode axis and the entire state in general,” Ajala said.

As of the time of filing this report, the police command in Kwara had yet to release an official statement on the attack.

Tears in Kwara: Pregnant Woman, Policeman Killed as Bandits Strike Again

Tragedy struck again in Kwara State on Tuesday as suspected armed bandits launched separate deadly attacks in Patigi and Ifelodun local government areas, leaving behind sorrow and fear among residents.

In Matogu village, Patigi LGA a pregnant woman was killed while five others sustained serious injuries during a morning raid that lasted for over three hours.

Our correspondent gathered that the bandits also kidnapped 12 people. While four of the victims later escaped, eight are still being held in captivity. No ransom demand has been made as at the time of filing this report.

One of the injured victims was rushed to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital for intensive care after doctors at the General Hospital, Patigi, referred him due to the severity of his injuries.

Eyewitnesses told Sobi FM that Kanuri farmers in a nearby village had sighted the gunmen and tried to warn Matogu residents, but poor mobile network frustrated their efforts.

A source in the community lamented that despite alerting the army unit in Patigi ahead of the attack, no help came until much later.

The entire community is deserted. Our people can no longer sleep with their eyes closed. Farms and markets are empty, and our lives are at the mercy of these criminals,” the source said.

He added that the continuous attacks have crippled farming and trade in Patigi and neighbouring LGAs, with residents losing faith in government protection.

In a related development, another tragedy was recorded the same day in Agbonran, Ifelodun LGA, where gunmen attacked a mining site.

A police orderly, Corporal Salisu Shamaki, was shot dead in the ambush. Shamaki, who hailed from Mariga LGA of Niger State, joined the Force in 2017/2018 and left behind a pregnant wife.

Three other policemen reportedly attached to the Chinese miners are still missing, though the expatriates escaped unhurt.

The recent surge in kidnappings in Ilorin, Kwara State, has led to multiple arrests, with some suspects confessing to being part of a larger group. Here are the key developments:

• Recent Arrests:
  • Eight suspected kidnappers were arrested by the Nigerian army in Ilorin, with two kidnap victims rescued on August 18, 2025.
  • Three notorious kidnappers disguising themselves as bicycle riders were apprehended by the Ilorin South Local Government Council’s security team in July 2025.
  • Local vigilantes also arrested eight suspected kidnappers in Ifelodun Local Government Area in August 2025.
  • Yesterday, August 20, 2 kidnappers were caught, one ran away, and one was arrested – a man dressed like a woman with a bag full of biscuits and suit with a lot of cash.
  • Today, another kidnapper was arrested in the morning around Aruna Kannike House, Ipata market. She was caught by the community and begged them to let her carry out her operation because she was going to collect her salary. She had 3 different ATM cards and was beaten by the crowd before the police arrived.
• Kidnapper Profiles:
  • Some arrested suspects have confessed to receiving large sums of money for each successful kidnapping operation.
  • A suspect revealed that his team had abducted numerous children for ritual purposes in exchange for large sums of money.
• Community Response:
  • In some cases, community members have taken matters into their own hands, beating suspects before police arrival.
  • Residents are advised to report suspicious activities to the authorities instead of taking the law into their own hands.
• Security Measures:
  • The Kwara State Government and security agencies are working to address the situation.
  • The police have urged residents to provide information to aid investigations.

To prevent further kidnappings, parents and guardians should be vigilant and monitor their children’s activities closely. Youths should be cautious of enticing job offers that seem too good to be true, especially those promising huge payments. Residents should report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or local vigilante group. The Kwara State Government needs to take concrete steps to address the rising tide of insecurity.