Gunmen kill man and kidnap two women in Kwara community

Suspected bandits have killed a man and taken two women during an attack on a Fulani settlement in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The attack happened on Monday night in the Sodo/Sawmill area on the outskirts of the town.

Residents said the gunmen arrived at about 8 pm, shooting wildly and causing fear among the villagers.

Sources claim the attackers were looking for a well-known Fulani leader in the community but could not find him.

The gunmen then took two women, believed to be the wives of the Fulani leader, before escaping the scene.

A resident was also shot dead during the attack.

Security operatives responded after they got distress calls, while troops engaged the attackers and forced them to run into a nearby forest.

On Tuesday, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the incident, stating one person was killed and two women were taken.

"Yes, one man was killed while two women, aged 25 and 35, who are wives of the Seriki Fulani, were abducted," Ojo said.

The police commissioner added that early findings showed the attackers aimed for the Fulani leader, known as an Ardo, but could not capture him.

"The attackers targeted the Fulani leader, Ardo. For now, we are still on their trail because before we got there, the military had pushed them back before they ran into the forest, but we are on their trail," he said.

This attack has raised worries about safety in Edu and nearby local government areas, where residents have often asked for better security measures against criminal groups in the Kwara North region.