Gunmen Kill Woman, Kidnap Six in Kwara Community

By Diafa Doubra,

Tension has gripped the Okuta area of Baruten Local Government in Kwara State after gunmen riding on about 50 motorcycles launched an attack on the community, killing a woman and abducting six residents.

Eyewitnesses said the armed men stormed the village in the night, shooting sporadically to scare locals before carrying out the abduction. The incident threw the community into panic, forcing many residents to flee into nearby bushes for safety.

Confirming the attack, local authorities described it as a disturbing escalation of insecurity in the border region, which has witnessed increasing cases of kidnappings and violent raids. Security operatives, including police and vigilante groups, have since been deployed to comb the area in search of the abducted victims and to restore calm.

Residents, however, are calling on both the state and federal governments to beef up security in rural communities, stressing that many border settlements remain vulnerable to criminal gangs.