Banditry: Kwara Closes Schools In Four LGs, Demands Military Base As Communities Mourn Victims Of Deadly Attack

 

Kwara State has been thrown into heightened tension after the government ordered an immediate shutdown of schools across four local government areas following fresh security concerns in the southern part of the state. The directive, relayed through the Nigeria Union of Teachers, affected Isin, Irepodun, Ifelodun, and Ekiti councils where recent attacks have left residents unsettled and fearful.

A circular issued by NUT Chairman Yusuf Agboola confirmed that the union was acting strictly on instructions from the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development. Agboola emphasized that the closure was necessary due to the intensifying threats confronting rural communities already grappling with violent incursions. Teachers were assured that additional guidelines would be communicated as the situation unfolds.

A grave dimension was added after a deadly assault on a church in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area, where armed bandits stormed a thanksgiving service, killing three worshippers and abducting more than thirty five others. The attack, which occurred on Tuesday night, has shaken the state and prompted urgent conversations at the highest levels of national security.

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq visited the troubled community to assess the scene and console residents who spent the night in fear and chaos. He disclosed that discussions had already begun with the General Officer Commanding 2 Division and the Inspector General of Police regarding the creation of a Forward Operating Base of the Nigerian Army as well as a Mobile Police Squadron in Eruku to strengthen security in the axis. According to him, the President was fully briefed on the incident and had cancelled his earlier scheduled trip to the G 20 meeting.

Residents, however, expressed deep frustration over what they described as a lack of response from security operatives stationed nearby. Victims and community leaders narrated chilling accounts of how the attackers operated freely for close to an hour without any intervention. Some locals accused police officers of obstructing their attempt to chase the fleeing bandits. These allegations have fueled suspicions of internal compromise and renewed calls for a thorough probe of the police division serving the area.

Heartbreaking testimonies came from families directly affected. One resident, Adesuyi Joshua, revealed that his wife and granddaughter were among those taken away. He lamented that the community initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks until the attackers intensified their assault. Others spoke of repeatedly supporting the police with community projects only to feel abandoned during their most vulnerable moment.

Anger simmered into open protest as youths blocked the Ilorin Kabba Expressway to register their displeasure. Bonfires and barricades halted traffic and stranded travellers, with protesters insisting that consistent neglect by security agencies had emboldened criminal groups operating from forest routes linking Kwara to neighbouring Kogi and Ekiti States.

Traditional and religious leaders voiced alarm over the growing pattern of attacks, warning that without firm action, more communities might fall victim. The Owa of Eruku highlighted that repeated incidents had already driven farmers away and forced residents to bear the financial burden of securing the release of kidnapped loved ones.

Security chiefs have promised swift action as additional personnel and equipment are deployed. An Armoured Personnel Carrier is expected to be permanently stationed in Eruku as authorities seek to restore calm and reassure the shaken population.

Kwara’s border communities remain vulnerable due to porous forest corridors, poor road infrastructure, and sparse security coverage. With the latest developments, the pressure is now on government at all levels to deliver lasting solutions before the violence escalates further.