Bandits Invade Kwara State Community, Kidnap Water Factory Owner

Bandits stormed Gbugbu community in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducting the owner of Yashashi Pure Water factory.

A source who spoke to SaharaReporters said the incident happened on Thursday afternoon, throwing the community into panic.

The attackers, who stormed the area in large numbers, reportedly whisked the victim away to an unknown destination. 

Residents said the abduction heightened fears of insecurity in the local government, where cases of kidnapping have become increasingly frequent.

SaharaReporters previously reported that terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, launched a de@dly overnight attack on a settlement in Bokungi, Tsaragi community, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, k!lling one person and rustling several cows.

SaharaReporters reports that the incident occurred around midnight and into Wednesday morning, leaving residents in shock and fear.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the assailants stormed the community at about 12am, shooting sporadically to scare residents before carting away dozens of cattle.  

One of the sources explained that the attackers targeted the Fulani settlement belonging to Alhaji Garuba and Alhaji Mumini, where Mumini’s first son was reportedly k!lled during the raid.

The source said Alhaji Mumini’s son, Muhammadu, who had just married a month ago, was k!lled.

Meanwhile, when the bandits were unable to force open Alhaji Garuba’s door, they went straight to rustle all his cows.

The source told SaharaReporters that the bandits came through Bokungi and moved straight to the settlement. 

The source noted that the bandits started firing into the air and everyone began running for safety. They took away many cows and left destruction behind.

According to the source, "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 k!lled by them. The stolen cows are estimated to be nearly 1000. People are asking why the Nigerian Army made no real effort."

Residents further explained that as the attackers advanced through Fengewa, the gunshots alerted local vigilante groups and security operatives, who mobilized quickly to confront them.

A combined team of vigilantes and Nigerian Army troops engaged the bandits in a brief exchange of fire, but 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 source said.

The k!lling has heightened fears in Edu Local Government and surrounding areas, with residents lamenting the rising wave of insecurity in parts of Kwara. 

Community members also expressed frustration that the attack happened while Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was reportedly away on vacation abroad, leaving locals to rely heavily on vigilantes for immediate protection.