Suspected terrorists on Wednesday night attacked Ahun community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducting a woman and her two children during the assault.
Residents said the gunmen stormed the community under the cover of darkness, firing several gunshots that forced many villagers to run for safety.
A local artisan, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said members of the community vigilante group confronted the attackers, preventing them from causing further damage.
“We thank God for our vigilantes who stood their ground. Without their bravery, the bandits could have inflicted more harm on the community,” the resident said.
Sources in the area revealed that the abducted woman is married to the son of the driver to the traditional ruler of Oro-Ago, widely known as Baba Segun.
During the operation, the attackers were also said to have injured the victim’s mother-in-law, popularly called Mama Segun, while fleeing the scene.
Eyewitnesses who spoke with journalists in Ilorin on Thursday said the armed men arrived at about 9pm and began shooting sporadically to scare residents.
The attack reportedly lasted for about 40 minutes, creating tension in the community and prompting some villagers to contemplate leaving the area the following day.
However, a member of the local vigilante group disclosed that the traditional ruler of Oro-Ago appealed to residents not to abandon their homes despite the incident.
According to the vigilante member, the monarch reportedly asked who he would rule over if everyone fled the town and subsequently directed security personnel stationed in the area to stop vehicles from leaving Ahun and Oro-Ago.
A family member of the monarch’s driver, who resides in Ilorin, commended the vigilance group for their swift response.
“My relatives in Ahun called around 9pm to inform me that the community was under attack. My first concern was the safety of my elderly mother who lives there,” he said.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Department of State Services in Ifelodun Local Government Area on Thursday summoned members of the local vigilante group and other stakeholders in the community for a meeting over the incident.
The outcome of the meeting was not known as of the time this report was filed.
