Residents said the assailants stormed the agrarian town in large numbers in the early hours of Sunday, engaging the vigilantes in a fierce confrontation.
At least 10 members of local vigilante groups, including forest guards, have been killed, and five others abducted after terrorists suspected to be armed bandits launched an attack on Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Residents said the assailants stormed the agrarian town in large numbers in the early hours of Sunday, engaging the vigilantes in a fierce confrontation.
SaharaReporters learnt that the vigilantes, who have long served as the first line of defence for rural communities in the absence of a consistent military presence, were reportedly overpowered by the attackers.
A video obtained by SaharaReporters shows several lifeless bodies lying in pools of blood as grieving family members and sympathisers gathered around them in anguish.
A source in the area described the situation as “terrible,” lamenting the sudden withdrawal of Nigerian soldiers who had previously been stationed nearby.
“We don’t know why they withdrew the soldiers. Now our people are exposed. We learnt that 10 people were killed and five were kidnapped. The situation is now terrible,” the source said.
The incident has heightened fear among villagers who rely heavily on vigilante groups for security in the face of recurring bandit attacks in Kwara South and North of the state.
Confirming the attack, the press secretary to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, described the killings as devastating. Writing in a WhatsApp group, he said the situation is devastating beyond words.
“This is sad. Devastating beyond words. Pls be patient. It could have been worse without the effort of the forest guards. Three guards died, one got injured. Many of the attackers also died,” he said.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that bandits had abducted a local businessman, Suleiman Ndana, during a midnight raid on the Tsaragi community in the Edu Local Government Area of the state.
The attack occurred around midnight when the gunmen stormed the area, targeting Ndana, who recently built a new fuel station in Yana Kokonna, Tsaragi.
Residents said the attackers operated for several minutes before whisking him away to an unknown destination. His abduction has since thrown the community into fear and uncertainty.
WATCH: Terrorists Kill 10 Vigilantes, Abduct Five In Kwara Community pic.twitter.com/3qf91jcqdu
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) September 28, 2025
