At least five residents and three soldiers have been killed in attacks by suspected bandits in Mari and Dina communities in the Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Several women and children were also abducted during the raid, according to local sources.
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Sahara Reporters reported that the attack occurred on Thursday when heavily armed assailants invaded the rural settlements, firing indiscriminately and forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes.
Sources who spoke to the newspaper said the attackers stormed the communities in large numbers, catching residents off guard.
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“People ran in different directions when the shooting started. Some were hit while trying to escape. It was chaotic and frightening,” one resident said.
Another source said several villagers sustained injuries during the assault, while the attackers took away an unspecified number of women and children.
“They operated for a long time and moved with many of our people into the forest. We do not know where they are,” the source added.
Military personnel from the Forward Operational Base in Patigi were reportedly deployed to the area after distress calls from residents. However, the reinforcement team was ambushed by the attackers along the route.
During the ensuing gun battle, three soldiers were killed.
A source familiar with the incident said the attackers had positioned themselves strategically before the troops arrived.
“It appeared to be a planned ambush. The soldiers came under heavy fire as they approached,” the source said.
The bandits also set a military patrol vehicle ablaze during the confrontation, further hampering response efforts.
Residents described the attack as highly coordinated and expressed concern over the growing frequency of such incidents in the area.
Many called on authorities to strengthen security presence to prevent further attacks.
The latest violence adds to a pattern of deadly attacks in parts of Kwara State in recent months.
In February, dozens of residents were killed in coordinated assaults on communities, with reports indicating that armed groups targeted villages after residents resisted attempts to impose extremist control.
Several others were abducted, while homes and shops were burnt during the attacks.
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Authorities have linked some of the incidents to suspected jihadist factions operating around forested areas, raising concerns about the spread of insurgent activities beyond Nigeria’s traditional conflict zones.
Security analysts say the attacks reflect a mix of banditry and extremist violence, with communities increasingly vulnerable to both.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from military authorities were unsuccessful, as calls and messages were not responded to at the time of filing this report.
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