In the early morning of September 28, 2025, a staccato of gunfire woke up many residents of Oke-Ode community in Kwara South, Kwara State. They ran helter-skelter for safety. But the volleys of bullets did not have mercy on them.

When the dust settled, at least 15 persons had been dispatched to their early graves, while many others sustained varying degrees of injury. Unspecified numbers of residents were also abducted. The attack on Oke-Ode was one of the many that bandits had carried out in Kwara State since the current trend of massive invasions began in March 2025. The attacks have been taking place in Kwara South and Kwara North. But the Kwara Central, which is Ilorin Emirate, has been exempted by the bandits from the attack. The purported operating base of the bandits was given as a large forest, known as ?Baba Sango?. Oke-Ode, once considered the safest town in the Igbomina axis, is now majorly deserted. The state government has also relocated students of the school of nursing at Oke-Ode to Ilorin.

Ordeals of victims, survivors

Some residents of the affected communities said they sighted helicopters flying over the sky in their villages. They suspected that the helicopters must have been bringing food and ammunition supplies for the bandits. One of the survivors displayed a teargas shell that he found after the bandits left. The inscription on the aluminium shell is: ?Long Range Shell CS 38mm?, which, as gathered, is typically used by law enforcement and military units for crowd control and riot situations.

A woman, Fimihan Ishola, said she lost her husband, Prince Ishola Mohammed, during the attack in Oke-Ode.

Her words: ?The government of Kwara State, they have killed my husband. The government security withdrew guns from all Yoruba vigilantes. Who gave guns to the bandits? Who are the bandits? Can you separate then from Fulani? Why was it that the bandits attacked Oke-Ode after guns were withdrawn from the Yoruba vigilance group?

?My husband was driving home. When he got to Okere-Aje, the glass of his car was broken by bandits. Then, he was killed, with his younger sister, and the husband of his younger sister.?

Names of some of those who died in the incident were given as the Baale of Ogba-Ayo, Abdulwasiu Abdulkareem; his brother, Fatai Abdulkareem; a prince from Agunjin, Ishola Muhammed; and Abdulfatai Elemosho from Babaloma; Salaudeen Bashir from Babaloma; Saheed from Abayan; Olowo-Ila from Oke-Ode, Oluode Ologomo, Oji and Saheed Matubi.

A local hunter, who narrowly escaped death and spoke on condition of anonymity, said: ?Those people came with sophisticated weapons. We tried our best, but we were overwhelmed. We gave them fire for fire, but the bandits were many.

?A military officer had collected most of our guns the previous day, saying he wanted to service them. Immediately he collected the guns, he kept them in the house with bullets. He slept at Ajase, and maybe it was one of those supplying the guns that hinted them that the guns had been recovered from us, and that they should start coming.

?Since the guns were given to us, nobody attacked us. But it was the day he collected the guns and bullets for servicing that those people attacked. That looked suspicious. ?The remaining guns we had to protect ourselves were not enough at all. If the guns had not been collected and everything was available, they wouldn?t have been able to do that. They were able to attack us because we had insufficient guns and bullets.? At ?gba-Ayo Quarters, one of the bloodiest flashpoints of the invasion, tragedy struck at the home of Abdulwasiu, the Baale of the community.

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A relative, who asked not to be named for security reasons, recounted: ?It was early in the morning, and I was sleeping when I started hearing gunshots. I quickly climbed the roof to hide. After about 30 minutes, I came down and saw my brother ? the baale, his younger brother, and son lying dead in a pool of blood. Their bodies were riddled with bullets.? The local chief left behind two wives and six other children, all now in hiding.

?There is no one left in ?gba Ayo. We don?t know if we will ever return to our homes or what the future holds for us,? the source lamented.

From hiding, another resident, Gbemisola Muhammed, popularly called Yeye Oge, still trembles when she recalled her husband?s final words.

?On Saturday night, he told me not to travel after dark because he had a premonition. On Sunday morning, as I approached Agunjin town, near Oke-Ode, I received a call that the bandits had struck the community. ?Rushing there, I was met with an unimaginable horror: my husband, a prince of Agunjin, had been killed, along with his younger brother and brother-in-law.

?He was not on duty that day, so he didn?t carry a gun. That was the last time I heard his voice.

?I was told that the bandits attempted to kidnap my husband?s younger sister, whose husband was also killed, but their attempt failed.

?They asked about my mother-in-law, who had just returned from Hajj. In the end, they spared her life but took her bag and phones. She has since been moved to Lagos to recover,? she told Saturday Sun.

However, Taiye from Dabu village, his wife, and their two-month-old baby were kidnapped directly from one hospital. A doctor, known as Baba Gold, along with his wife and their two children, were also abducted.

The bandits reportedly killed a Bororo man and a Hausa trader in Alade before moving into Oke-Ode. It was further revealed that the Oluode Ologomo, whose wife had just given birth, was also killed. The attackers were said to have moved closer to him, and stripped him of his charms when bullets could not penetrate him.

According to his widow: ?My husband was not just a hunter, he was a protector of the people. Now, I am a widow.? For 27-year-old Rilwan Tajudeen, the pain of loss remained raw. His father, a charcoal dealer, had only gone to Oke-Ode to buy goods when the bullets found him.

?My father was not a hunter. He was returning from the market when they shot him and the motorcycle rider carrying him.

?I carried him in his own pool of blood. Six bullets were removed from his body. He died in my hands. I don?t know how to continue without him,? Rilwan, who had since abandoned the only home he knew, said.

The Onisagbe of Sagbe, Oba Isiaka Sadiku Lawal, the Ariwajoye Kariola I, called on the government to ensure that peace reigns in the affected communities. The monarch said bandits have sacked many communities. One of the residents said: ?We told the soldiers to fight against the bandits that attacked us but they said they were not given orders. The soldiers were eventually withdrawn later.?

One of the leaders of Oodua People?s Congress (OPC), Sina Akinpelu, told Saturday Sun that one of the elders of the movement, Owoade Abdullahi, was killed at Oke-Ode during the Sunday September 28 attack.

?He was our leader. He was highly respected. But his children decided that their father, who had lived in Lagos for many years, should return to Oke-Ode, his hometown, after he attained the age of 70. ?The bandits also killed Kebe Oro-Ago Adetunji. What is happening in Kwara is nothing, but ethnic cleansing,? Akinpelu stated.

Long list of killings

Investigation showed that since March 2025, about 33 persons have lost their lives to the menace. Impeccable sources said the attacks started around March from Kaiama axis which is closer to the borders of Nigeria and Benin Republic. The area also has the Borgu Forest, which spans Kwara and Niger States. The bandits purportedly launched their attacks whenever they came out of the forest, and would recede to the forest after the attacks. The sources blamed the Kwara State Government for allegedly not being proactive enough.

?The government gets information on the movements of bandits. But they are always quick to dismiss it. Then, all in a bid to calm frayed nerves, the state government brought Miyetti Allah security operatives. It is a pity that the insecurity has continued to fester.

On April 14, 2025, Ilesha Baruba Motor Park in Baruten Local Government Area was attacked. Six civilians were reportedly killed. The motive behind the attack was linked to a growing wave of violence in Kwara State, with bandits disguising themselves in military uniforms to carry out the raid On July 19, 2025, Edogi village in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area was attacked, and two persons, including a vigilante commander, were killed, while many others sustained gunshot wounds. It was an ambush on the vigilantes.

Also, on August 11, 2025, Babanla town and surrounding communities in Ifelodun Local Government Area were attacked. Five persons, including a police officer were killed. In the same vein, many people were injured. The incident reportedly forced more than 3,000 residents to flee their homes. The bandits were said to have looted the towns as well before returning to the forest. On August 24, 2025, Babanla community was attacked again, which led to abduction of two persons. On August 26, 2025, security operation to flush out bandits was carried out in Ifelodun Local Government Area, during which dozens of bandits were neutralized.

On August 29, 2025, an ambush on motorists was reported at Rore and Aranorin communities in Irepodun LGA. At least, three persons, according to reports, were killed.

On September 25, 2025, bandits stormed Oyatedo Oro-Ago community in Ifelodun LGA and killed a school owner, Chief Depo Aina, for resisting abduction. On September 26, 2025, bandits ambushed two brothers tending to their farmland in Lema, in Edu Local Government. The assault left one of the siblings dead instantly, while the other suffered critical injuries and is battling for survival.

On September 28, 2025, two attacks took place. The first one was the Oke-Ode attack. Some sources reported 13 deaths and some others 15 deaths. But residents of Kwara South insisted that 15 persons lost their lives to the attack, which primarily targeted vigilantes and community members. On the same September 28, 2025, the bandits abducted a businessman at Tsaragi in Edu Local Government Area. It was further revealed that areas that have been attacked in Kwara North, include Ilesha Baruba in Baruten Local Government, Edogi and Tsaraji communities in Edu Local Government. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp, which was in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area in Kwara North, has been relocated to Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin due to insecurity.

How Oke Ode massacre happened

Former Group News Editor of Thisday Newspapers, Mr. Kunle Akogun, who hails from Kwara South, said: ?Prior to this time, there had been audible threats by the bandits that Oke-Ode, which had been serving as an unofficial refugee camp for people displaced from surrounding villages, would soon be hit. And the community and the vigilantes had beefed up their security arsenals on account of this open threat

?All these were, however, rubbished by what looked like a well-planned and carefully orchestrated internal sabotage. Without sounding pre-emptive of whatever steps the government might want to take in this matter, one would like to suggest that the officer who was said to have collected the weapons of the vigilante operatives be invited for questioning on the motive and timing of the weapons? withdrawal.

?Also, the engagement of the Miyetti Allah security operatives to ?secure? communities in Kwara South should be reconsidered.?

Mahmuda insurgency

Many of the attackers were believed to be linked to the splinter group of Boko Haram insurgents, known as ?Mahmuda?, which reportedly crossed into Kwara State through the forests linking Zamfara, Niger and Kaduna states after superior fireworks from both the ground soldiers and the air force.

?They come on motorcycles, kill and kidnap our people, and scare others into fleeing,? a resident of Kaiama lamented. He added that the mission of the attackers is to take over ancestral land of other tribes, just like what happened in Kaduna and Zamfara States.

?The crisis recently escalated in Kwara South when gunmen abducted several travellers at Eleyin village in the Isin Local Government Area. Police confirmed that some victims, including two senior council officials, were later rescued through joint operations involving soldiers, police, hunters and vigilantes.

Gov Abdulrazaq assures residents

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said in addition to ?our support for the security agencies, I assure our communities of continuous support to resist violent attacks. I, therefore, commend the bravery of the Isin and Irepodun vigilantes who mounted a spirited resistance against the criminals. ?As we mount this bold resistance in moral courage against criminality, I urge that we strike the right balance so that we do not further undermine our collective wellbeing, which violent protests may amount to.?

Security operations in Kwara

The Nigerian Army has launched several operations to combat banditry in Kwara State, particularly in the Kwara North and Kwara South regions. The army initiated a counter-insurgency operation, code-named ,?Park Strike Four?, aimed at flushing out bandits from the Kainji Lake National Park and border communities in Kwara and Niger states. The operation is expected to cover a distance of at least 90kilometres from Kemanji into the Kanji forest. The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Ibadan, Maj.-Gen Obinna Onubogu, whose jurisdiction extends to Kwara State, has deployed troops to restore sanity and public confidence in the region. The army headquarters some days ago also directed the GOC to relocate to Kwara State in order to beef up security in the state. The directive was followed with a massive deployment in the area which resulted in massive killing of the criminal elements.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq also provided motorcycles to troops and local councils to improve mobility in difficult terrains.

The GOC, disclosed that 12 suspects linked to the Mahmuda group were arrested during raids in Kaiama, Baruten and the Kainji Forest axis. He added that the ongoing operation has already cleared parts of the forest.

The Nigerian Air Force, as gathered, has also been involved in the operation, conducting aerial bombardments of identified criminal positions in the area. In a recent operation, soldiers neutralized a suspected bandit and recovered an AK-47 rifle with ammunition during an ambush in Edu Local Government Area. In the same vein, the police command in Kwara State has emphasized community partnership and intelligence gathering to dismantle criminal networks.

Security updates in Kwara showed that the Nigerian Army on Thursday September 25, 2025 arrested five ?persons of interest? at a checkpoint after six AK-47 rifles were found with them along Share in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state. They reportedly concealed the six AK47 under charcoal being conveyed in a Golf saloon car. Their arrest came a day after six persons suspected to be couriers for the kidnappers were arrested around Babanla, also in Ifelodun Local Government Area, with a large consignment of bread and petrol. They were suspected of acting as couriers for kidnapping gangs in the axis.

They were arrested, while hiding during a surveillance operation by government-backed local vigilantes around Babanla. Earlier on Tuesday, many criminals were reportedly eliminated in a coordinated assault by government vigilante forces in Omu Aran-Eruku. Six motorcycles, assault rifles, and many loaded magazines were reportedly recovered from their hideouts. Some weeks ago, chairmen of the seven local government areas in Kwara South ordered the immediate closure of all Kara (cattle) markets within the senatorial district, effective from Friday September 19, 2025, until further notice.

South West states on red alert

Kwara is one of the gateway states between the North Central and the South West. The growing banditry as gathered, is already threatening both local economies, communal harmony and security of the South West. It was speculated that the bandits were only carrying out a litmus test in Kwara before launching into the South West. But fillers showed that the Yoruba are on red alert.

Investigation also revealed that the six states in the South West have been responding with a blend of policies aimed at containing the inroad of banditry. Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on security matters, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, a retired Commissioner of Police, said the state has been proactive in guarding against influx of bandits into the state.

Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State on Security Matters, Samuel Ojo, stated that plans have been perfected to prevent intrusion of bandits into the state.

Aare-Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has said repeatedly that the Oodua People?s Congress (OPC) has the capacity to flush out bandits in the South West within some months if the organization has the backing of the governors in the geo-political zone.

Meanwhile, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has renewed its call to the Federal Government to approve creation of state police for a cohesive strategy against banditry and terrorism.

National Publicity Secretary of the organization, Mr. Jare Ajayi, when contacted, called on the governments in the six states in the zone to re-empower, reinforce, and boost the morale of the Amotekun Corps.

?Of course, at the larger level, the Federal Government too, should ensure immediate kick-off of state police,? Ajayi stated. (Saturday Sun)

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