10 Dead as Bandits Raid Kwara Communities in Desperate Bid to Distract Security Forces

Tragedy struck the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday evening as marauding bandits launched a synchronized dusk attack, leaving at least 10 residents dead and throwing several communities into mourning.

The attackers, reportedly numbering in their dozens, stormed the villages just as residents were winding down for the day. Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos as the gunmen fired indiscriminately, targeting those attempting to escape into the nearby forests. By the time the dust settled, ten bodies had been recovered, though some villagers fear the number could rise as search parties comb the surrounding bushes for missing persons.

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, reacted swiftly to the killings, labeling the raid a “cowardly expression of frustration.” In a statement released shortly after the news broke, the Governor alleged that terrorist cells are lashing out because they are being squeezed by successful counter-terrorism campaigns in other parts of the state. He suggested the timing of the attack coming just as the government reopened schools in high-risk areas was a calculated attempt to force security agencies to spread themselves thin.

The massacre has sent shockwaves through the state, especially as it follows weeks of relative calm and intensive military operations. Only 24 hours prior, the state government had expressed confidence in the security situation by reopening schools in six local councils that were previously closed due to kidnapping threats.

“The Governor extends his heartfelt condolences to the families and the entire Kaiama community,” the official statement read. “Security forces have been mandated to intensify their efforts and hunt down these criminals to prevent a recurrence.”

While the Kwara State Police Command has yet to provide the names of all the victims, local sources say the “hit-and-run” nature of the attack shows the bandits are shifting from permanent occupation to quick, deadly raids to create panic.