Residents of Eruku community in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State are once again living in fear after armed bandits launched a fresh attack on Sunday, abducting a farmer identified as Annas Aasanru. The incident, which has further heightened tension in the area, came barely a week after 38 church worshippers kidnapped in the same community were freed after five days in captivity.
Eruku, a farming community located near the Kogi State boundary, has faced increasing insecurity in recent months. The latest attack marks the second time within one month that the community is being targeted by armed criminals.
According to local residents, the attackers struck at about 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, invading a farmland along the road leading to the neighbouring town of Koro. The victim, a 40-year-old farmer and native of Eruku, was working on his farm when the bandits arrived.
A community leader, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said the attackers were suspected to be Fulani/Bororo men, numbering about four. He explained that they came armed with AK-47 rifles and cutlasses.
“Armed with cutlasses and AK-47 rifles, the assailants invaded the farmland and kidnapped a man identified as Annas Aasanru before escaping into the bush,” the leader said. He added that residents are becoming increasingly worried as the attacks appear to be becoming more frequent.
The community, he said, has long appealed for improved security presence, especially after the shocking abduction of dozens of church worshippers earlier in the month.
The latest abduction occurred only a week after the release of 38 church members who were kidnapped during a night vigil in the community. The victims were held for five days in the thick forest surrounding the area before they were finally freed through what local authorities described as “combined efforts of security agencies and community support.”
Upon their release, the victims were taken into medical care by the Kwara State government, as many of them were weak, dehydrated and traumatised. Their abduction drew nationwide attention, with security experts and social commentators calling for urgent measures to protect rural communities from bandits who now move freely between state borders.
Sunday’s incident has reopened fears that the criminal gang responsible for the earlier attack may still be active around Eruku, raising questions about the effectiveness of recent security efforts.
Speaking on the development, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed that the command received a distress report from Eruku Division at about 2 p.m. on Sunday.
She explained that the report indicated that four armed men stormed a farm along Koro Road earlier in the afternoon and abducted Aasanru.
“Police operatives from Eruku Division received a complaint at about 1400 hours on Sunday that four armed men invaded a farm along Koro road, Eruku at about 1230 hours and abducted one Mr Aasanru, aged 40,” the spokesperson said.
She added that the police immediately activated a joint operation involving security agencies and local volunteers.
“Upon receipt of the report, a joint team of police, military personnel and local vigilante members was immediately deployed to the area for an intensive search and rescue operation,” she stated.
Ejire-Adeyemi assured residents that the state command is committed to ensuring the safe return of the abducted farmer and restoring calm in the community.
These border regions are known for their large forests and difficult terrain, which have become safe havens for criminal gangs fleeing operations in neighbouring states. As a result, communities like Eruku, Obbo Aiyegunle, Ijara-Isin and Eku have experienced rising attacks over the past year.
According to local sources, kidnappers often arrive on motorcycles, carry out their operations quickly and escape through forest routes before security agencies can respond. Residents say this pattern has been observed repeatedly, creating a sense of helplessness among farmers who rely on their farmlands for daily survival.
Many residents of Eruku say they now live in constant fear. Farmers, who form the majority of the population, worry that they may no longer have access to their farmlands without risking their lives.
One resident who spoke with reporters said, “We cannot continue like this. If we cannot go to our farms, how do we survive? The government must come to our rescue before these people destroy our community completely.”
The resident added that several families have started relocating elderly relatives to neighbouring towns for safety.
There are also concerns that the community may face food shortages in the coming months if farmers continue to abandon their fields due to fear of attacks.
Community leaders are urging the state and federal governments to deploy more security personnel to the area. They say the presence of military and police officers along the major access roads and inside the surrounding forests would help deter future attacks.
They also want the government to support local vigilante groups who have been assisting security agencies but lack adequate equipment.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Police Command has appealed for calm, urging residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security operatives. The command said it remains focused on rescuing the kidnapped farmer and ensuring that bandits do not continue to threaten the peace of the community.
Ejire-Adeyemi promised that updates will be provided as the operation progresses.
