Just In: Tears as Gunmen Kill Travellers in Kwara Amid Rising Insecurity in State

Just In: Tears as Gunmen Kill Travellers in Kwara Amid Rising Insecurity in State

  • Two individuals were killed and three others abducted by gunmen in Ganmu village, near Babanla, in the Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state
  • The victims were reportedly travelling from Lagos to Babanla when their vehicle developed a flat tyre near the community
  • As they attempted to fix it, they were ambushed by about five armed men who opened fire, killing travellers

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro.

Ganmu Ahileri, Kwara state - Two people have been killed by gunmen in Ganmu village, close to Babanla in Ifelodun local government area (LGA) of Kwara state, north-central Nigeria.

As reported by Daily Trust on Thursday, August 7, three other individuals were kidnapped by the assailants.

Police confirm gunmen killed two travellers and abducted three in Kwara state/Attack in Babanla community in Kwara state.
Gunmen kill two travellers in Kwara state. Photo credit: Nigeria Police Force
Source: Facebook

Nigerian Tribune stated that the attack occurred on Friday, August 1, when the victims, who were travelling from Lagos to Babanla suffered a flat tyre near the community.

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While attempting to fix the tyre, they were ambushed by five terrorists who opened fire on them.

The slain travellers were identified as Jimoh Audu from Ganmu and Alhaji Abdulrazak Ewenla, a native of Ajia village. The killing brought tears and sorrow to the deceased families.

The three abducted individuals have been named as Kazeem Ajide, Wahidi, and Mufutau, although the surnames of the latter two have not yet been confirmed.

Following the incident, a combined team of police operatives, military personnel, and local vigilantes were deployed to the scene to comb the area and restore order.

Police react to latest Kwara attack

Meanwhile, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the police spokesperson in Kwara, in a statement, confirmed the attack.

She, however, dismissed a viral video suggesting that residents had fled the village, creating the impression of a ghost town.

Kidnappers operating in Kwara state village/Insecurity in Kwara
Police deny viral ghost town video in Kwara. Photo credit: Nigeria Police Force
Source: Facebook

The police's statement partly reads:

“Contrary to the misleading viral video, the area is not deserted. The security presence seen in the clip is a coordinated deployment to maintain public safety and aid the rescue effort."

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Furthermore, the police stated that it had launched a full investigation into the incident, with efforts ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims unharmed and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Rising insecurity in Kwara LGA

Legit.ng reports that state actors condemned the series of abductions plaguing Kwara state, particularly Ifelodun LGA.

In June, a group of concerned residents issued a five-point demand aimed at addressing the rising wave of insecurity in the area.

The group’s appeal includes the immediate deployment of fully armed security personnel to all identified hotspots and the establishment of a permanent joint security base within the local council.

In a statement titled 'Enough is Enough,' the citizens also urged the government to provide training, equipment, and institutional support for local vigilante groups and hunters to enhance their capacity to combat crime.

In recent years, criminal gangs in the northcentral region have taken to kidnapping people as a means to raise money.

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In an attempt to curb the spiralling and lucrative kidnapping industry, a law was enacted in 2022 making it a crime to make ransom payments. It carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years, however no-one has ever been arrested on those charges.

It also made abduction punishable by death in cases where victims die.

But families often feel forced to pay to save their loved ones, citing the government's inability to ensure their safety.

The videos of the affected community can be seen below:

Bandits kill over 35 in Zamfara

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that at least 35 kidnapped victims of Banga village in Kaura-Namoda LGA of Zamfara state were killed by their captors loyal to a bandit kingpin Dansadiya, for failing to pay N35 million ransom for their release.

The slain innocent individuals were kidnapped by the bandit leader and his gang during a midnight raid that led to the death of two persons during the attack.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ridwan Adeola avatar

Ridwan Adeola (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content creator with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.

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