Residents Flee as Suspected Bandits Attack Kwara Community, Overpower Vigilantes, Set Patrol Vans Ablaze

By Damola Kadri

Residents of Lata Nna and surrounding villages in Kwara North Senatorial District of Kwara State, have abandoned their homes in panic following an attack by heavily armed bandits on Friday night.

The assailants, who descended upon the community in large numbers, set vehicles ablaze and exchanged gunfire with local vigilantes.

According to NupekoTV, an eyewitness narrated that a group of vigilantes on patrol were ambushed and their vehicles reportedly burnt, triggering a widespread panic and massive migration of residents to a “calm haven”. The eyewitness recounting his ordeal, described “the gunshots as terrifying” which led community members and those from neighboring villages like Kokodo and Gada fleeing in panic.

The distraught resident vehemently refuted the claims that the initial report of an attack was false. “Whosoever said [it’s false] will be punished by God,” he declared, expressing profound distress. “How can I play with the life of his family? Since Monday my communities are living in panic fear of being attacked. What will I gain if I lied? And if they think I’m lying, they should come to Lata Nna,” he said

He highlighted the alarming capabilities of the suspected bandits saying those “criminals are armed with sophisticated weapons; they are difficult for vigilantes to battle with.”

However, efforts to get reaction of the Kwara state police command to confirm the incident proved abortive as the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ejire Adetoun Adeyemi did not respond to calls and text sent to her lines.