Bandits launch deadly attack on Kwara community, kill newlywed

Panic gripped Bokungi, a settlement in the Tsaragi community of Edu Local Government Area, Kwara State, after suspected bandits launched a midnight attack that left one resident dead and hundreds of cows stolen.

The assault, which occurred around 12 a.m. and stretched into the early hours of Wednesday, left villagers reeling with fear and uncertainty.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the Fulani settlement of Alhaji Garuba and Alhaji Mumini, firing shots into the air to frighten residents before rustling large herds of cattle.

Tragically, Mumini’s eldest son, Muhammadu — who had married only a month earlier — was killed during the raid.

“When the bandits couldn’t break into Alhaji Garuba’s house, they went straight for his cows,” a source revealed, adding that the criminals struck through Bokungi before moving on to Fengewa.

The witness continued: “They came around 12 a.m. when the kidnappers entered through Bokungi and moved nearly 700 Fulani cows, shooting as they went. They passed through Fengewa before vigilantes and Nigerian soldiers attempted to intercept them, but as of now I don’t know if the soldiers and vigilantes succeeded. Alhaji Garuba and Alhaji Mumini were affected, with Alhaji Mumini’s first son killed by them. The stolen cows are estimated to be nearly 1000. People are asking why the Nigerian Army made no real effort.”

Residents said the gunfire drew the attention of vigilante groups and security forces, who engaged the bandits briefly, though it remained unclear by Wednesday morning whether any arrests were made or if the stolen cattle were recovered.

“We got a call this morning from Shegbe that they saw some cows and had stopped them,” another resident explained.

The incident has heightened insecurity fears in Edu LGA and nearby communities. Locals expressed frustration that the attack occurred while Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was reportedly vacationing abroad, leaving vigilantes as the first line of defense.

The surge in violence has also affected national institutions. Recently, staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Patigi and Edu LGAs abandoned their offices, citing the worsening spate of kidnappings and banditry. Security sources confirmed that intelligence operatives had advised INEC personnel to avoid the volatile region to prevent being targeted as “soft victims.”

“Lade town in Patigi LGA has been largely deserted due to repeated attacks,” a security source disclosed. “The INEC staff are scared. They don’t want to risk being kidnapped or attacked.”

Another senior source added that the abduction of INEC workers would be a “monumental national embarrassment” and put the Tinubu administration under “intense pressure and scrutiny.

INEC offices in both local governments remain shut most days, disrupting the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. Residents say the suspension has further eroded trust in the government’s security assurances.

One INEC official said staff had little choice: “We can’t risk our lives in the name of national service. There is no assurance of our safety. If bandits could attack a community barely two hours after the governor visited the place, then who is safe? The INEC chairman has said that he doesn’t have money to pay as ransom to any bandits.”

(SAHARAREPORTERS)