Fear has gripped residents of Bishewa, a community near Zambufu in the Lafiagi Emirate of Edu Local Government Area, Kwara State, following a late-night raid by armed bandits.
Eyewitnesses said about ten gunmen stormed the village on motorcycles, firing repeatedly as they advanced. During the attack, a woman was kidnapped, while villagers fled for safety.
The victim’s son, who escaped, explained that he was the primary target but was absent on a local patrol when the gunmen arrived.
“We heard the roar of motorcycles entering the village. Everyone tried to defend the community but quickly realized we couldn’t withstand them. They kept firing and left with my mother,” he recounted.
The incident came less than 24 hours after the release of another abducted resident, who regained freedom after relatives paid ₦5 million ransom.
Community members, disturbed by the frequency of such attacks, urged the Kwara State Government and security agencies to urgently protect rural villages.
“May Allah return our mother safely and stop these incidents,” one resident prayed.
This latest assault follows a series of kidnappings and killings across the Lafiagi Emirate. Just days earlier, two farmers were abducted in Bokungi Zambufu, while other attacks were reported in Oke-Ode (Ifelodun LGA), Essanti (Patigi LGA), and Marri Village. These assaults left several people dead, vigilantes executed, families displaced, and properties looted.
SaharaReporters previously revealed how Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s media aides attempted to downplay insecurity by sharing old photographs of airstrikes in Borno, presenting them as recent military operations in Kwara. A fact-check traced the images back to Operation HADIN KAI conducted in October 2024.
Despite government claims, residents say villages across Oke-Ode, Patigi, and Lafiagi remain under constant threat. In Essanti, two sons of a community leader were abducted in daylight, while in Marri, attackers struck during heavy rainfall, killing one person, injuring another, and seizing motorcycles before security forces intervened.
The persistent raids have forced many villagers to abandon their homes, leaving rural Kwara in a state of fear and uncertainty.
