Nine LGAs in Kwara under siege, bandits ‘demand’ food, drinks as ransom

Egbetokun

Kwara State has been in the eye of the storm lately over incessant attacks on residents by unrelenting bandits and kidnappers, particularly in the northern and southern parts of the state, despite the spirited efforts of the government to combat insecurity.

Among the 16 local governments in the state, the five local governments, otherwise called emirate councils, namely Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Ilorin South, Asa, and Moro, have not been seriously affected by the ongoing insecurity.

The same with Offa and Oyun local governments, leaving the remaining nine local governments scattered in the southern and northern parts of the state under siege of killings and abductions by the bandits.

Sunday Vanguard reliably gathered that the bandits, comprising mostly herdsmen from Zamfara and Sokoto states who infiltrated Kwara through Niger State, in connivance with some locals, have been perpetrating the current criminalities in the state for some time now.

It was also gathered that they operate in the thick forest in the northern and southern parts of the state where they have settled for close to 30 years now.

Sources said these people residing in the thick forests, in connivance with some locals who provide information, reportedly embraced the business of kidnapping some years back having realized that it is a much easier means of making quick and big money, turning them overnight into billionaires.

Reported cases of abductions and killings started in local governments in the northern part of the state, namely Edu, Patigi, Baruten, and Kaiama, about four years ago before it became a regular occurrence.

In Kpanpkanragi village in Edu Local Government, among several other attacks, armed bandits abducted a woman in a late-night assault in August.About the same time in Gamalegi village in the same local government, four people were abducted by gunmen.