Bandits have carried out a fresh attack in Kwara State, abducting at least 11 residents, including a pregnant woman and several young children, in the community of Isapa, Ekiti Local Government Area. The assault comes barely 24 hours after the release of victims from a separate mass kidnapping in the region.
The attack, carried out by an estimated 20 to 30 bandits, occurred around 6:00 p.m. on Monday, forcing residents to flee for safety.
The Kwara State area, bordering several states affected by banditry, has seen an increase in mass abductions of residents for ransom.
The 11 victims include highly vulnerable individuals, such as a 22-year-old pregnant woman, two nursing mothers, and multiple children aged between five and ten. Seven of the victims are reportedly from the same household.
The community of Isapa is close to Eruku, where over 38 worshippers were abducted during a thanksgiving service organized by the Christ Apostolic Church to celebrate the release of 18 worshippers who had been kidnapped about a month prior.
The bandits, according to reports from eyewitnesses, were armed with what appeared to be AK-47 rifles, fired sporadically as they advanced through the town. An elderly woman was reportedly hit by a stray bullet during the chaos.
A community leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the attack to journalists.
Eleven people were kidnapped, seven of them from the same household. The victims include a pregnant woman, two nursing mothers, and several young children
The Kwara State Police Command and local vigilante groups are currently working tirelessly to locate the abductors and secure the release of the 11 captives.
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