Communities across Kwara South have been thrown into panic as a surge in kidnapping incidents forces hundreds of residents to abandon their ancestral homes.
The worst-hit areas include Sabe, Ologomo, Alabe, and Babanla in Ifelodun Local Government Area, where bandit attacks have become routine. Eyewitnesses reported that families, including women and children, were seen at Oke-Ode garage with their belongings, desperately seeking transportation to safer towns.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, a resident identified as Ganiyu Babatunde pleaded with the Kwara State Government to take urgent action.
“Since morning, I have seen more than 10 vehicles carrying people fleeing their homes. Some even use motorcycles and trucks to escape. Our communities that once lived peacefully have now become deserted because of kidnappers,” he said.
Locals fear that the mass exodus could lead to deserted villages and the loss of their ancestral heritage. Some residents lamented that if the situation persists, their lands could be overtaken by strangers.
This latest wave of displacement comes just days after gunmen attacked Lataworo community in Edu Local Government Area on August 14, forcing villagers to flee. Earlier on June 30, bandits carried out coordinated raids on Gada, Lataworo, and Kokodoko villages, leaving several people injured.
Kwara North has also been under siege. On August 13, heavily armed men invaded Gamalegi village in Lafiagi Emirate, abducting four residents in a late-night raid. Witnesses described the attack as “hell on earth,” alleging that the gunmen operated without resistance from security forces.
The recent spike in violence has deepened fears across Kwara State, where kidnapping for ransom and banditry have continued to escalate despite repeated government assurances of safety.
Residents are now calling on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and security agencies to intervene decisively to restore peace.
