ILORIN, KWARA STATE — In yet another chilling reminder of Nigeria’s deepening security crisis, terrorists have unleashed coordinated attacks on several Kwara communities, killing a pregnant woman, abducting at least 18 residents, and rustling dozens of cattle in a brazen overnight operation.
The blood-soaked assault, which residents described as “a nightmare,” occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when over 40 heavily armed men stormed Motokun village in Patigi Local Government Area on motorcycles. The gunmen, wielding sophisticated weapons, fired indiscriminately, sending terrified villagers fleeing into the surrounding bush.
> “They came in large numbers, each on a motorcycle with heavy guns. They shot at everything in sight. A pregnant woman was killed instantly, and many of our people were taken away,” one shaken resident told Nupeko TV.
At least eight residents were abducted in Motokun, while a simultaneous raid unfolded in nearby Fanagun village, under the Tsaragi Emirate. There, three Fulani men and their herds were seized, with dozens of cattle rustled in what locals say was a well-coordinated twin strike.
Residents lamented that the attackers operated for hours without any confrontation from security operatives. The economic toll of the raids, especially the mass theft of cattle, has worsened the plight of already impoverished communities struggling under the weight of Nigeria’s unending wave of violence.
This comes barely 24 hours after gunmen invaded Maganiko Ndanangi, a village under Lafiagi Emirate in Edu Local Government Area, abducting a married woman, identified as Aisha (popularly called Gogo), and a 16-year-old girl named Amina. The midnight attackers reportedly shot sporadically into the air before whisking their victims away to an unknown location.
A resident, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, described the horror:
> “They came at midnight, shooting everywhere. People ran into the bush to hide. They took away Gogo and Amina, and nobody could stop them.”
Meanwhile, the attacks have sparked outrage across Kwara, especially in Lafiagi Emirate, where youths had planned peaceful protests against the rising tide of terrorism. However, local sources allege that the Emir of Lafiagi, Alhaji Mohammed Kudu Kawu, deployed palace-backed security operatives and political thugs to disperse the planned demonstrations, fueling anger among residents who accuse traditional and political leaders of silence in the face of mounting insecurity.
With no rescue operations launched at press time, families of the abducted remain in anguish, uncertain of the fate of their loved ones.
Kwara’s rural communities—once known for farming and cattle-rearing—are now under siege, as terrorists tighten their grip with relentless abductions, killings, and economic sabotage, leaving many questioning how long the silence of authorities will last.
PIONEER NEWS 