Fear gripped a quiet agrarian settlement after armed assailants carried out a coordinated raid, seizing multiple residents and leaving families traumatised, even as security operatives raced to contain the fallout from the overnight attack.
Moreover, residents described the operation as swift and violent, with gunmen moving aggressively through residential areas, firing repeatedly to overpower locals and create panic before fleeing with their captives.
The incident occurred on Friday evening in Adanla community, a suburb of Igbaja in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. Local sources said the attack unfolded around 7pm, disrupting normal activities and forcing many residents indoors.
Confirming the development, a community leader in Igbaja and Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Community Security Watch Network, Elder Olaitan Zubair, said the assailants stormed the area in large numbers and operated with apparent coordination.
According to him, local security structures were immediately activated once distress calls were received from the community.
“We mobilised hunters and vigilantes from Igbaja as soon as the report came in, and the military authorities in the area were promptly alerted to respond,” Zubair said.
He added that troops later arrived in the community in operational vehicles to reinforce local efforts.
However, the intervention came after the attackers had already escaped with eight residents and injured at least one woman. “They fired indiscriminately to scare people and prevent resistance,” he said.
Meanwhile, several residents reportedly sustained injuries while attempting to flee, while others abandoned their homes for nearby bushes and neighbouring communities in search of safety, heightening fears of further displacement.
As of Saturday morning, official confirmation from the police was still pending. Reacting to enquiries, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Adeyemi, said she was awaiting a comprehensive briefing.
“I have received preliminary information, but I am yet to be fully briefed. Once details are available, the command will provide updates,” she said.
However, residents have called for sustained security presence in the area, warning that repeated attacks could undermine farming activities and deepen insecurity across surrounding communities.
