The victim, identified as Tetengi, was reportedly shot dead around 10pm Wednesday when the attackers stormed the community in large numbers and opened fire indiscriminately.
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a vigilante commander in a fresh attack on Kakafu village, Lade District, Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The victim, identified as Tetengi, was reportedly shot dead around 10pm Wednesday when the attackers stormed the community in large numbers and opened fire indiscriminately.
A resident, who confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters, said Tetengi was killed while confronting the bandits.
The source added that the invasion threw the community into panic, with some residents believed to have been abducted, though the exact number of kidnapped victims could not yet be ascertained.
He further lamented the absence of security reinforcements during the attack, urging the government to step up efforts against the growing wave of banditry in the area.
“We lost one of our brave local security commanders who, alongside others, confronted the bandits. We tried calling for security backup, but there was no response at the time the bandits struck.
“We are calling on the government to take drastic action; the incessant kidnappings and attacks are getting out of hand,” the source said.
SaharaReporters previously reported that the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Patigi and Edu Local Government Areas of Kwara State have abandoned their duty posts and locked up their offices, citing the escalating wave of kidnappings and bandit attacks.
Top security sources told SaharaReporters that operatives in the intelligence community had advised INEC personnel to stay away from the volatile areas, warning that they could be targeted as “soft victims” by marauding bandits.
One of the sources disclosed that Lade town in Patigi LGA had been largely deserted due to repeated attacks by criminal groups.
“The INEC staff are scared. They don’t want to risk being kidnapped or attacked.”
Another senior source added that the abduction of INEC officials would not only cause a national embarrassment but also pile pressure on the Tinubu administration.
“The fear is that if INEC staff are kidnapped, it would not only be a monumental national embarrassment but would also put the Tinubu administration under intense pressure and scrutiny,” one of the sources said.
“The INEC staff are scared of being kidnapped or attacked. They were told to seek clearance from security agencies before going to their duty posts. Hence, if anything happens to them, they are on their own.”
Residents confirmed that INEC offices in both local government areas remain locked for most days of the week, frustrating the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise that commenced in August.
Many locals say the suspension of services has further weakened confidence in government promises of security.
Another staff member revealed that the INEC chairman had bluntly stated there would be no funds to pay ransom in the event of abductions.
“We can’t risk our lives in the name of national service. There is no assurance of our safety. If bandits could attack a community barely two hours after the governor visited the place, then who is safe?”