Armed bandits have once again unleashed violence in Kwara State, abducting 11 individuals during an attack on the Isapa community in Ekiti Local Government Area.
This latest incident comes barely two weeks after gunmen raided the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), where 38 worshippers were kidnapped and several others reportedly lost their lives.
According to community sources, more than 20 armed men invaded Isapa on Monday, arriving with a large herd of cattle and shooting indiscriminately as residents fled for safety.
During the chaotic assault, an elderly woman was struck by a stray bullet.
A community leader, who spoke anonymously due to security concerns, confirmed that 11 people were taken. Among the abducted are seven members of a single family, including a pregnant woman, two nursing mothers, and several young children.
The kidnapped victims have been identified as Talatu Kabiru (Female, 20), Magaji (Male, 6), Kande (Female, 5), Hadiza (Female, 10), Mariam (Female, 6), Saima (Female, 5), a housewife identified as Habibat, another housewife Fatima Yusufu, a pregnant woman identified simply as Sarah Sunday (Female, 22), Lami Fidelis (Female, 23, nursing mother), and Haja Na Allah (nursing mother).
Eyewitness accounts had it that the attackers moved through parts of the town, leaving bullet holes in walls and doors.
Expended AK-47 shells were found scattered across the community after the gunmen fled. Police authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The latest attack on the Isapa community comes about two weeks after gunmen struck the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku, an area in the same LGA.
They kidnapped 38 members of the church, while others reportedly died during the assault. However, the abductees have been released.
What You Should Know
The renewed attack on Isapa community highlights the worsening insecurity in parts of Kwara State, particularly the recent surge of kidnappings linked to heavily armed bandit groups.
The abduction of 11 residents, many of whom are vulnerable women and children, underscores the urgent need for stronger security interventions. This incident follows a similar mass abduction at a local church just weeks earlier, deepening fears among residents.
With authorities yet to respond formally, the community remains shaken as concerns grow over the safety of rural populations increasingly targeted by armed criminals.
