Kwara State was thrown into mourning and fear over the weekend as armed bandits attacked Shagbe village near Igbaja town in Ifelodun Local Government Area, killing one person and abducting several others.
The deadly attack happened around 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, 2025, when residents of the quiet farming community were getting ready for the night. The sudden invasion caused panic, with people running for safety as gunshots echoed in the air.
Local sources told our reporter that the attack was violent and left the villagers terrified. “One person was killed during the attack, and eight others are still missing. We don’t know if they’ve been kidnapped or hiding somewhere in fear,” a resident who didn’t want to be named said.
He also explained that the situation remains tense, making it difficult for anyone to go near the area for now. “It’s too dangerous to move around. Everybody is scared. Many families have left the village already,” he added.
Reacting to the incident, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the attack and said security officials have been deployed to the area. He noted that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Oke-Ode is already on ground in Shagbe for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
“We are aware of the attack in Shagbe. Our men are already in the village to gather details and restore calm. Investigations are ongoing,” he said.
He added that efforts are being made to locate the missing persons and secure the area from further attacks.
The attack in Shagbe came just hours after the arrest of several suspected bandits in Babanla, another community in the same local government area. The suspects, who were picked up by security agents, are currently being profiled at the Kwara State Police Command in Ilorin.
Though police have not linked both incidents officially, residents fear the Shagbe attack may be a retaliation or a coordinated move by bandit groups operating in the area.
A community elder in Igbaja, who also spoke anonymously, said, “We are living in fear. This is becoming too frequent. Just yesterday, they arrested some people in Babanla, and now Shagbe is under attack. We don’t know what’s coming next.”
Kwara State, once considered relatively peaceful, has witnessed a growing number of attacks in recent times, raising fears that the wave of insecurity affecting the North-West and parts of the North-Central is spreading deeper into the Middle Belt.
Banditry, once limited to states like Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger, has now crept into places like Kogi, Kwara, and Ekiti. Communities in these areas are increasingly vulnerable due to limited security presence and difficult terrain.
Community leaders in Ifelodun LGA have appealed to both the state and federal governments to come to their aid. They are asking for more security patrols, proper surveillance, and support for those affected by the attack.
“We need help. Our people are being killed and kidnapped. We cannot protect ourselves alone,” a traditional chief in the area said.
As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the eight missing persons remain unknown, and the atmosphere in Shagbe and nearby villages is still tense.
