Fear Grips Kwara Communities as Bandits Abduct Teen Girls, Attempt Kidnap of Monarch’s Wife
Panic and fear have gripped residents of Babanla, a community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, following a violent attack by suspected bandits on Monday night that led to the abduction of two teenage girls and an attempted kidnapping of a monarch’s wife.
According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen stormed the community around 8:30 p.m., arriving on motorcycles and firing sporadically into the air to create chaos.
During the raid, they abducted two girls Aisha Yahaya and Mariam Yusuf believed to be between the ages of 16 and 17. The attackers reportedly attempted to kidnap the wife of the community’s traditional ruler, but she narrowly escaped the assault.
Local hunters swiftly mobilised and pursued the assailants into nearby forests, leading to an ongoing exchange of gunfire that reportedly lasted into the early hours of Tuesday.
In a statement issued by the Concerned Indigenes of Babanla, the community expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation and urgently called on federal and state authorities to intervene before things spiral further out of control.
This incident is the latest in a disturbing trend of abductions plaguing Kwara State. Just 24 hours earlier, armed men abducted at least three individuals in separate attacks.
Among the victims was a well-known Point of Sale (POS) agent named Yman, who was kidnapped Sunday night in Lafiagi town.
Two other individuals, identified as Hausa men, were taken during a Monday morning raid on Kokodo village. A third victim, a young girl, narrowly escaped by fleeing into the surrounding bushes.
“These attacks are becoming far too frequent. From the POS operator kidnapped on Sunday to the two men taken Monday morning, the situation is worsening, and residents are feeling helpless.”
Security operatives and local vigilante groups have reportedly been briefed and are actively working to track down the perpetrators and rescue the victims.
These escalating attacks come shortly after the abduction of a prominent agro-chemical dealer, popularly known as Alhaji Chemical, who was kidnapped from his residence in the Taiwo area of Lafiagi around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday.
Witnesses say the gunmen, riding motorcycles, overpowered local security with superior firepower before escaping with the businessman.
Community sources believe the kidnapping was carefully planned and targeted, further deepening fears among residents who now live in constant anxiety due to the increasingly volatile security situation in Kwara North and its environs.
