ILORIN — The peace of Ifelodun Local Government Area in Kwara State has been shattered following a double-raid by suspected bandits who abducted 10 residents from the Ahun and Oro-Ago communities.
The gunmen reportedly struck in the early hours of Wednesday, launching a coordinated assault that has left local families in agony. In Ahun, six people were forcibly taken, while another four were snatched from Oro-Ago and the nearby Oyate area.
One of the victims, Clement Emmanuel, a local sawmill operator, was seized alongside his apprentice, Solomon, while they were working in a forest. His distraught wife, who confirmed the incident to journalists, revealed that the kidnappers have already made contact, placing a ₦10 million price tag on his head.
“I am pleading with the government to help us. Where will a poor family find ₦10 million?” she cried.
While the Kwara State Police Command has yet to release an official statement regarding this specific Wednesday attack, the area has recently been a flashpoint for criminal activity. In a separate move to curb the rising tide of insecurity, security operatives recently intercepted a different syndicate in the Oro-Ago axis, arresting 10 suspects and recovering motorcycles used for forest operations.
The latest abductions have sparked fresh concerns about the safety of farming communities in Kwara South, with residents calling for a heavy military presence to flush out the gangs hiding in the border forests.
