Three people have reportedly been killed in a fresh attack by bandits in Bokungi community, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The incident, it was gathered, occurred on Wednesday around 6:30pm, less than 24 hours after the brutal attack in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.
Two of the victims who were rice farmers were said to be heading for the farms to retrieve harvested rice when the bandits struck.
Community sources said four individuals, including a vigilante were initially kidnapped during the coordinated incidents.
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One of the sources said assailants later killed the two rice farmers and inflicted wounds on a third individual who is said to be a vigilante.
“The victims were at their farmlands to retrieve harvested rice when the bandits struck. They attacked two separate groups.
“The first attack resulted in the abduction of two people who were packaging their harvested rice.
“Shortly thereafter, the bandits abducted another two people from a neighboring farm. In total, four people were taken captive in the coordinated attack including a teenage boy”, he added.
The bandits later went away with a Bajaj motorcycle recently distributed to the vigilantes by the local government chairman, Abdullahi Bello, to aid security patrols.
Several calls to the council chairman and the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, were not answered on Thursday.
But a vigilante commander in Edu, Gina Gana, confirmed the incident.
According to him, “the bandits attacked the victim as they were preparing to leave the farm on Wednesday in the community.
“They have killed three people, including two farmers and a vigilante but we are yet to see the last person.
“We have been experiencing relative peace after the security situation peaked months ago except some pockets of attacks in a few places until this incident”, he said.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on Wednesday announced there are plans to establish a Forward Operating Base of the Nigerian Army and a Mobile Police Squadron in Eruku after the church attack.
During an on-the-spot assessment, AbdulRazaq said he would speak with the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on the urgent security upgrade needed in the crisis-hit area.
“We will speak with the GOC to see that we have a Forward Operating Base in Eruku to enhance security here and also talk to the Inspector General of Police about establishing a mobile squadron here.
“It is indeed unfortunate what happened yesterday despite all the effort we have been making. Our main purpose here is to commiserate with the people of the community. All the security agencies are on this. The President had to cancel his trip to the G-20 because of this incident and that of Kebbi State. So the President is aware and we are on top of the situation,” he added.
