Suspected terrorists have struck once more in Kwara State, killing two residents in the Ifelodun Local Government Area, further raising alarm over the deteriorating security situation in the state.
The attack, according to a source who spoke with SaharaReporters, occurred along the road linking Babanla and Oreke communities.
The source said the victims were on an errand to buy food for members of their community when they were ambushed and killed by the gunmen.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, two lifeless bodies were seen lying in a pool of blood at the scene. Local vigilantes and officers of the Nigeria Police Force were also present, inspecting the bodies and securing the area.
Kwara State has, in recent months, witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks and kidnappings, particularly in rural areas, raising concerns among residents about the capacity of security agencies to protect lives and property.
Despite repeated assurances by authorities, many residents said fear now dominates daily life as attacks persist across parts of the state.
This comes after Nigerian soldiers arrested a group of suspected bandits found patrolling with AK‑47 rifles in a local security patrol vehicle in Ifelodun LGA.
The suspects were intercepted by troops during an operation in the area and taken into custody.
In a video from that incident, the arrested men were seen prostrated on the ground with their hands tied as soldiers questioned them over their activities and the source of the arms.
One of the suspects, speaking in Hausa and Nigerian Pidgin, claimed that the patrol vehicle and rifles were provided by the Kwara State government.
“We have been here for quite a while. We are using the vehicle for patrol. Wallahi, na the truth I dey tell you.
“Ilorin government na him give us this motor and the weapons. They were the ones that gave us the rifles,” the suspect said
He further alleged that the arms were not received by him personally but by a superior he referred to as “our oga,” insisting that multiple individuals were involved.
“We are not the ones that collected the rifles; it was our oga that collected them. I know because I was with them. We go patrol many times with them, including oga Victor. All of them are involved. The weapons are theirs,” he claimed.
The suspect repeatedly insisted the weapons did not belong to them, swearing by God that the rifles were not privately owned by the group.
In the video, other detainees, their hands tied, were heard repeatedly chanting religious phrases as the questioning continued.