Gunmen on Sunday killed 12 people in Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

They also abducted an unspecified number of people, with several others injured in the deadly incident.

During the incident, the armed bandits in their numbers, reportedly stormed the community in the early hours of Sunday, targeting newly recruited forest guards, hunters, and vigilantes who were guiding the area among other civilians.

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No fewer than 12 dead bodies were seen lying on the ground in a viral video.

Residents said the bandits struck around 7:35 a.m., killing indiscriminately.

Among the victims, it was gathered, were the Baale (traditional head of Ogba-Ayo), two of his children, and other residents.

It was learned that a physician, Dr. Femi, popularly known as “Baba Gold,” and two others have been declared missing since the assault, which forced many families to flee into the bush for safety.

A resident of Babanloma who confided in our correspondent said “Two of our vigilantes, Dada and Fatai, were among the victims.”

The attackers were also said to have kidnapped four members of the same family before fleeing the area.

Witnesses said the bodies of the slain vigilantes were later taken to the police station, while the injured were rushed to the General Hospital in Saare.

A local vigilante leader who simply identified himself as Ajetunmobi, accused authorities of ignoring early warnings.

“We heard since Saturday night that the bandits were moving around the community and sent alerts to the security operatives. Unfortunately, they still attacked, starting with the duty post”, he said.

In a separate incident just hours earlier, gunmen abducted a businessman, Suleiman Ndana, popularly known as Manager, in Tsaragi, Edu Local Government Area.

Witnesses said the attack occurred around midnight when heavily armed men stormed his residence, shooting into the air before whisking him away.

Ndana, who recently built a fuel station in Yana Kokonna, was believed to have been the prime target, a vigilante commander, Gina Gana, told Daily Trust.

On Saturday, residents said a driver was killed while about four passengers in the vehicle were marched into the forest in Omu Aran.

The abduction followed another incident four days earlier at Maganiko Ndanangi in Lafiagi Emirate, where suspected bandits reportedly kidnapped a married woman, Aisha Gogo, and a 16-year-old girl, Amina, during a midnight raid.

Attacked communities deserted

Daily Trust reports that Sunday’s killings are the latest in a series of violent raids in Ifelodun LGA, where armed groups have laid siege to farming communities in recent weeks.

Affected residents have since abandoned their ancestral homes, leaving villages desolate.

The latest incident occurred a few days after the Kwara State Police Command celebrated the arrest of three suspected kidnappers in a joint operation at the Babanla-Oreke-Oke-Ode axis.

Last week, an attack left a woman who was said to be pregnant and other victims dead, with at least eight people abducted and many others injured.

Witnesses said the bandits, in their numbers, stormed Motokun and Egboro communities on motorcycles, shooting sporadically and forcing villagers to flee in panic.

Already, there are fears that the situation might cripple agricultural activities and affect food security as many farmers have been forced to abandon their farmlands in some of the affected places.

Amid the situation, the National President of the Oke-Ode Community Development Association, Alhaji Ganiyu Ajala, condemned the killings and urged the government to intensify its security response.

“While commending the government on the measures already taken, we call for redoubled efforts to completely dislodge these undesirable elements from Oke-Ode and the entire state,” he said.

The Kwara State Police Command on Sunday night confirmed the attack in Oke-Ode, describing it as unfortunate.

The command’s spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, in a statement, said the incident happened at about 7:00 am at the Ogbayo area of Oke-Ode.

“A combined team of police operatives and members of the National Forest Security Service responded swiftly to the scene, where they discovered 12 lifeless bodies of vigilante members, including the Baale of Ogbayo,” she said.

Adetoun said the victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

“Also, four persons who sustained injuries were immediately taken to the hospital for treatment, while the deceased were evacuated.

“The Kwara State Police Command, in collaboration with the military and NFSS, has intensified efforts to track down the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. Manhunt operations are ongoing, and the command assures residents that those responsible will be brought to justice.

“The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, deeply commiserates with the families of the victims, praying for the repose of their souls. He assures the people of Kwara State of the unwavering commitment of the police command to their safety and security. Further updates will be communicated in due course”, the statement added.

Gov urges security reinforcement

Reacting to the latest attacks, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq called for urgent reinforcement of security deployment to the state.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor expressed deep sorrow over the killings and paid tribute to the vigilantes and forest guards who resisted the attackers.

“My heartfelt condolences go to the families of the victims. Nothing can compensate for the bereaved, in spite of our efforts and the investments in training forest guards to support the conventional forces. Our people are understandably concerned, and I share their grief,” the governor said.

He urged residents to remain calm and avoid reprisal actions while assuring them of the government’s continued efforts to restore safety.

The statement added that “the Army Headquarters has directed the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan to relocate temporarily to Kwara to coordinate operations against the criminals”.

Health outreach relocated

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Ministry of Health has relocated its scheduled medical and surgical outreach programme for Ifelodun Local Government from Oke-Ode to Omupo Cottage Hospital.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, said the move was taken after reviewing the security situation in the area.

She said, “The outreach, which is part of the government’s sustained efforts to deliver quality healthcare services across the State, will now be held next month.

This is coming in the wake of a similar move last week after the Kwara State Government approved the relocation of the 2025 Batch B Stream II National Youth Service Corps orientation camp from its permanent site in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area, to Kwara State Polytechnic over insecurity fears.

Also, cattle markets in Kwara South were temporarily shut before the decision was modified following a meeting by the council chairmen and traditional rulers to allow restricted hours of operation.

A security consultant former Police Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi, the problem stems from multiple, layered causes which include poor equipment for the police, an overreliance on the military, porous borders and ungoverned forests among others.

He warned that some of the affected communities are vulnerable because of illegal mining activities. He, however, said the people must come together to confront it, with the government galvanizing the police and all the other security agencies to do what is expected of them.

A security expert and retired DSS director, Dr. Abdulsalam Bolakale Suleiman, advised a multifaceted approach.

“The government must look beyond military raids,” he said, adding that “converting the forest areas into productive economic zones is key amid addressing deeper economic issues like poverty, unemployment, and lack of education.”