Armed men suspected to be bandits have launched a fresh attack on Lataworo community in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, forcing residents to flee for safety.
This incident marks the second armed invasion in the area within the same day.
According to local sources, the assault caused widespread panic, with villagers abandoning their homes. The exact number of people abducted during the raid has not been confirmed at the time of this report.
Lataworo has experienced similar violence before. On June 30, suspected bandits attacked three communities — Gada, Lataworo, and Kokodoko — in coordinated strikes that left several residents and vigilantes injured.
The rising cases of insecurity have heightened fears in Kwara North and South, where repeated terrorist activities have been recorded in recent months. The state police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, has yet to release an official statement on the latest attack.
Earlier on Thursday, suspected terrorists struck Lema community in the same local government area, killing one person and abducting two others in an early morning raid. Residents said the attackers may still be in the area, prompting urgent calls for security forces to intervene.
Kwara State has been facing an alarming increase in kidnappings and ransom demands. On August 13, four residents of Gamalegi village in Lafiagi Emirate were abducted during a night attack. Witnesses reported that heavily armed men arrived around 11 p.m., fired sporadically, and escaped into the bush with their captives.
One resident, who spoke anonymously to NupekoTv-Lafiagi, described the scene as “hell on earth,” adding that there was no security intervention during the attack.
Just a day before, three people were kidnapped from Lade community. Days earlier, three residents — including a one-year-old child — were abducted from Gbale community.
Four days ago, suspected bandits attacked Babanla community in Ifelodun Local Government Area, killing two people, including a police officer, during a vigilante meeting. A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed the bodies of the officer and another man lying in pools of blood.
The continuous wave of violence has left communities across Kwara in fear, with residents pleading for lasting and effective security measures from both state and federal authorities.
