Bandits attack: Soldiers, Forest Guards take over Kwara communities

Recent attacks by bandits in Woro and Nuku communities of Kaiama local government area of Kwara state have led to the heavy deployment of Soldiers and Forest Guards across communities, even as the death toll in the affected communities has risen to forty persons.

A credible source in the local government who spoke with journalists on condition of anonymity confirmed the development in an interview on Wednesday morning.

“The casualties are over Forty as we speak, and soldiers and Forest Guards have taken over the two communities.

“It’s such a very sad development at a time we think we are having peace from the bandits’ attacks of the past.” she said.

Recall that bandits in a renewed onslaught attacked two communities of Woro and Nuku in the Kaiama local government area of Kwara state on Tuesday evening.

It was learnt that many families lost their loved ones in the violent attack, while several houses were reportedly burnt by the hoodlums.

According to available information, the bandits from the neighbouring Niger state villages came to preach to residents in the two communities that they should jettison Nigeria constitution and embrace the Qur’an.

It was further gathered that the bandits have been going around the neighbouring Niger state villages preaching the same before they infiltrated the affected communities in Kaima local government of Kwara state.

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Reports from a local source disclosed that, during the sermon, there were dissent voices to the preaching which infuriated the bandits, prompting them to open gun shots attack on the congregation.

“The angry bandits open attack indiscriminately on the congregation, and no fewer than forty residents of the two communities died; few of them escaped.

“They should be preparing mass burial for them as we speak,” said the local source who pleaded not to be mentioned in print.

Meanwhile, the state government, through a statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, confirmed the bandits’ attack.

Ajakaye said that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq mourned the victims of the Kaiama attack, saying that security forces had continued to improve on counterterrorism operations.

“Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is saddened by the cowardly attack on civilians in Woro and Nuku communities of Kaiama Local Government Area.

“The Governor condemns the attack, which he says is a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following the ongoing counterterrorism campaigns in parts of the state and the successes so far recorded.

“Governor AbdulRazaq says the attack was apparently to distract the security forces who have successfully hunted down several terrorist and kidnapping gangs across many parts of the state.

“The Governor expresses heartfelt condolences to Woro and Nuku communities on the sad incident, especially the families affected in the Tuesday attack,” he said.

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