Armed bandits on Sunday morning killed at least 15 vigilantes and hunters during an attack on Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. Several residents were also abducted in the raid, plunging the community into grief.

The attackers, who had reportedly been sighted around the community since Saturday night, began their assault at a local duty post where they targeted the vigilantes. Those killed included community members later identified as Oji, Saheed Metubi, and Baale Ógba Ayo. Their bodies were deposited at the police station, while survivors were taken to the General Hospital in Share.

The Oke-Ode Community Development Association condemned the killings, describing them as tragic and demanding stronger security measures from the state government. Community leaders argued that intelligence about the planned attack had been circulating but was not acted upon in time.

The attack in Oke-Ode occurred just hours after another incident in Tsaragi, Edu Local Government Area, where a well-known businessman, Suleiman Ndana (popularly called Manager), was abducted from his residence during a midnight raid. The assailants, said to be heavily armed, stormed the community around 12 a.m., fired several gunshots, and took him away.

Residents believe Ndana’s recent investment in a new fuel station may have attracted the kidnappers’ attention. The incident followed closely on the heels of another abduction in Maganiko Ndanangi, Lafiagi Emirate, where a married woman and a teenage girl were seized four days earlier.

In the wake of the escalating violence, the Kwara State Ministry of Health announced the relocation of its 2025 Medical and Surgical Outreach Programme for Ifelodun Local Government from the Specialist Hospital in Oke-Ode to the Cottage Hospital in Omupo. The decision was taken to safeguard medical staff and ensure uninterrupted service delivery.

The police confirmed awareness of the incidents and indicated that detailed updates would be provided once reports from divisional commands were compiled.

The repeated attacks underscore the rising insecurity in Kwara North and South, where business owners, farmers, and traditional leaders are increasingly being targeted. Communities remain on edge, with frequent raids and mass abductions deepening fear, displacement, and urgent calls for stronger government intervention.