By Attah Ede
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have invaded Kakafu community in Lade District of Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing a vigilante commander and abducted unspecified numbers of people.
Our correspondent gathered that the late victim was identified as Tetengi and was reportedly shot dead around 10:30pm of Wednesday when the attackers stormed the community in large numbers and opened fire indiscriminately.
An eyewitness who confirmed the incident to newsmen on condition of anonymity, said Tetengi was killed while exchanging fire with the bandits.
The source added that the invasion threw the community into panic, with some residents believed to have been abducted, though the exact number of kidnapped victims could not yet be ascertained.
The source further decried the absence of security reinforcements during the attack, urging the government to step up efforts against the growing wave of banditry in the area.
“We lost one of our brave local security commanders who, alongside others, confronted the bandits. We tried calling for security backup, but there was no response at the time the bandits struck.
“We are calling on the government to take drastic action; the incessant kidnappings and attacks are getting out of hand,” the source said.
It would be recalled that the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Patigi and Edu Local Government Areas of Kwara State have abandoned their duty posts and locked up their offices, citing the escalating wave of kidnappings and bandit attacks in the area
