Suspected bandits have launched another violent assault on Lataworo community in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, forcing residents to flee in panic. This marks the second armed attack in the area within 24 hours, deepening insecurity across the region.
Sources confirmed to SaharaReporters that the latest incursion has thrown Lataworo into chaos, with many villagers abandoning their homes out of fear. As of the time of reporting, the number of individuals abducted during the raid remains unconfirmed.
This is not the first time Lataworo has come under siege. On June 30, coordinated attacks by suspected bandits targeted three villages — Gada, Lataworo, and Kokodoko — all within Edu LGA, injuring multiple residents and local vigilante members.
The recent surge in attacks has raised alarm across Kwara North and South, both of which have been plagued by a persistent wave of terrorist activities in recent months.
The Kwara State Police Command has not issued an official statement on the latest incident. SaharaReporters reached out to police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, who has yet to respond.
Earlier, the Lema community in Edu LGA was also targeted in a dawn attack by suspected terrorists on Thursday, resulting in the death of one unidentified person and the abduction of two others. Residents report that the assailants are still believed to be operating within the area, prompting urgent appeals for intervention by security agencies.
Kwara State has witnessed a disturbing escalation in kidnappings and ransom demands, particularly in its northern and southern zones. On August 13, four residents of Gamalegi village in the Lafiagi Emirate were abducted during a late-night raid around 11 PM. Eyewitnesses described the attack as a scene of “hell on earth,” citing a complete absence of resistance from security forces.
The heavily armed attackers stormed Gamalegi under the cover of night, fired sporadically to instill fear, and whisked away four villagers into the nearby bush. Full details of the victims and the raid remain unclear.
The violence continued just a night prior in Lade, where three residents were abducted. A few days earlier, Gbale community suffered a similar fate, with three individuals kidnapped, including a one-year-old child.
Four days ago, another deadly incident occurred in Babanla community, Ifelodun LGA, where two people — including a police officer — were killed during a meeting of local vigilantes. In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, the lifeless bodies of the victims were seen lying in pools of blood. The exact number of those kidnapped or killed during the Babanla attack is still unconfirmed as residents fled in fear of further violence.
As attacks escalate, calls for decisive action by the Kwara State and Nigerian governments have grown louder. Locals continue to demand urgent and sustainable security interventions to safeguard lives and property amid what many are now describing as a full-blown security crisis in Kwara State.
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