SUSPECTED terrorists have escalated fears in Kwara State by circulating threatening warning letters to multiple rural communities, signalling that recent deadly attacks may not subside soon.
In the past six days, letters have been sent to at least four communities, with the latest dropped on Thursday in Ira, a border town in Oyun Local Government Area linking Inaja and Aho.
The letter, purportedly from the “Nigeria Terrorist Association (NTA),” boasted of their intent to kill, kidnap, and destroy, dismissing local defenses and oracles.
It stated they had gathered intelligence on Ira’s “strong” residents and “powerful men,” vowing to strike “at any time any date” after shifting from Kaiama LGA. The letter’s grammar and phrasing were retained in reports for accuracy, though its authenticity remains unverified by authorities.
The threat follows a devastating February 3 attack on Woro town in Kaiama LGA, where over 176 people were killed and 38 abducted, heightening anxiety across vulnerable rural areas near forest belts.
Residents of Ira, Inaja, and Aho have begun fleeing to nearby towns like Offa, abandoning farms, closing schools and businesses, and turning to prayers and heightened vigilance.
A traditional chief in Ira described how the letter was dropped by two suspects on a motorcycle at a park near the central mosque around 2:30-3pm, quickly escalating to the palace and prompting an immediate security response.
Security forces, including the police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army from the Forward Operating Base in Ilemona, and NSCDC, have intensified patrols and held emergency meetings with local leaders.
The Oyun LGA chairman convened a Friday session with traditional rulers and stakeholders to strategise defenses, urging calm while emphasising community policing and reporting suspicious activity.
Kwara State Police spokesperson Ejire Adetoun-Adeyemi confirmed the letter’s receipt and ongoing investigation, with additional personnel deployed alongside vigilantes.
Community leaders, including the Oninaja of Inaja, Oba Wahab Oyetoro, and the Ira Descendants Union, have appealed for urgent government support, including the return of local vigilantes from training in Ilorin.
Despite reassurances from security agencies that they are on high alert, panic persists as residents grapple with the uncertainty of when—or if—the threats will materialise.