Tension is mounting in parts of Kwara South Senatorial District following the killing of two local hunters by suspected bandits in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The victims were reportedly part of a local security team escorting a convoy from Oro-Ago to Oke-Oyan in the Ilere district when they were ambushed on Tuesday.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the attackers opened fire on the hunters, killing two of them on the spot before making away with their motorcycles.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers appeared to have prior knowledge of the movement of local security operatives. “These bandits seem to know the hunters and vigilantes. They are targeting them to weaken community defence,” the source said.
Despite the attack, other members of the security team were able to repel the assailants, ensuring the safety of those in the convoy.
Community members expressed growing concern over what they described as a calculated attempt by armed groups to dismantle local resistance. According to them, the continued targeting of hunters, vigilantes and forest guards could expose rural communities to more frequent attacks.
“We are no longer safe. These people are eliminating those protecting us. Government must act fast,” another resident lamented.
The latest incident comes barely days after gunmen invaded an ECWA church in Omugo, near Oro-Ago, abducting eight worshippers, including the wife of a pastor. Security operatives later rescued three of the victims.
Security concerns had earlier been raised by the Coordinator of the Joint Security Watch in Kwara South, Olaitan Zubair, who warned of looming attacks in the area.
Zubair had criticised what he described as the lukewarm response of political leaders to intelligence reports, urging them to take proactive steps to safeguard lives and property.
Residents are now calling for urgent deployment of more security personnel to affected communities, warning that failure to act decisively could embolden criminal elements operating across the district.
