Fear gripped residents of Mawogi village in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State after armed bandits invaded the community on Sunday night, killing a youth leader and injuring his mother.
The attack, which occurred between 11 p.m. and midnight, left Yanma Ndawodi, the community’s youth leader, dead.
His mother, Gogo Fatima, was shot during the invasion and is currently receiving treatment for serious injuries.
According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen stormed the quiet community, shooting indiscriminately and forcing terrified villagers to flee into the bush for safety.
Residents said the attackers also abducted five villagers.
However, three of the kidnapped victims later escaped, while two others identified as Ndagi Kudu and Hawau remain in captivity.
A community source described the assault as “terrifying,” calling on security agencies and the Kwara State government to urgently deploy more personnel to the area to prevent further bloodshed.
The invasion adds to a growing wave of violent attacks across Kwara’s rural communities.
Just days earlier, armed terrorists struck Idofin Odo-Ase in Oke Ero Local Government Area, killing at least three people and forcing many residents to abandon their homes.
Graphic videos obtained showed the slain victims, two shot and one stabbed, during the Thursday evening attack.
Similarly, another raid occurred on Efagi village, under the Lafiagi Emirate in Edu Local Government Area, where bandits kidnapped a couple and injured a vigilante.
That attack, which happened between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. last Friday, further highlights the deteriorating security situation in Kwara’s remote areas.
Residents have continued to cry out for government intervention as banditry, kidnapping, and armed attacks spread fear across rural settlements in the state.