Kwara town deserted following incessant attacks by bandits

A video has shown how police officers deployed to Owa-Onire in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State found the town deserted following repeated attacks by armed groups and kidnappers.

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A video shared by NPO Reports shows police officers patrolling Owa-Onire in Kwara State, documenting how incessant bandit attacks have left the community completely deserted. In the footage, officers are seen moving through the town with no residents in sight. Expressing shock at the extent of the displacement, one officer remarked, ‘All residents have left; there is nobody here except goats’.

An officer can be heard expressing consternation over the condition of the community as he described the extent of the abandonment.

“All residents have left. There is nobody here again except goats,” the officer said.

“This is my first time seeing a town abandoned by residents.”

The video shows empty residential buildings, closed shops and the deserted palace of the king.

The officers were deployed as part of a security operation involving police tactical units, including the Mobile Police Force and anti-kidnapping squads, across forested areas in Ifelodun, Isin, Oke-Ero and Ekiti local government areas.

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In another video shared days earlier on social media, security personnel had encountered only one resident in the same community during a visit by senior police officers.

According to the reports, the officers met only one resident, identified simply as Lekan. The latest video indicates that Mr Lekan might have fled, too.

Community sources said the community’s traditional ruler had been kidnapped.

Related attacks

There are growing concerns over insecurity in many parts of Kwara South and Kwara North.

PREMIUM TIMES recently reported that the traditional ruler of Oloruntele in Ifelodun Local Government Area spent nearly two months in captivity following his abduction in April.

The newspaper also reported that the traditional ruler of Olayinka community, Salman Aweda, was allegedly killed by kidnappers while community members were making efforts to secure his release.

On 12 June, PREMIUM TIMES reported coordinated attacks on Gaa-Oke Abba and Gaa-Alla communities in Isin Local Government Area and Famole Community in Ifelodun Local Government Area. Several residents were abducted during the attacks, while one person was reportedly killed.

Earlier this month, a primary school teacher, Shina Adeoye, was abducted along the Obbo-Ile-Eruku Road in Ekiti Local Government Area, further raising concerns about safety along major roads in the state.

Growing displacement concerns

Residents and community leaders have repeatedly warned that insecurity was forcing people to abandon their homes and farmlands in several rural communities.

Local sources cited by community groups have claimed that dozens of settlements across Ifelodun and neighbouring local government areas have been displaced due to kidnappings and armed attacks.

The concerns have also prompted interventions from public officials.

On 25 May, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Abiodun Essiet, advised residents of Kwara and Kogi communities to suspend mountain-top prayer gatherings because of security risks associated with forests and remote locations.

Days later, the presidential aide also urged travellers across the North-central region to avoid night journeys and remain vigilant amid reports of increasing attacks along major routes.

Authorities yet to comment

The Kwara State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the reported condition of Owa-Onire community as of the time of filing this report.

The latest reports add to concerns over the security situation in parts of Kwara State, where residents continue to call for sustained security operations and measures to enable displaced persons to return to their communities.