₦airaland Forum

Terrorists Attack Kwara Community, Kill Two Vigilantes, Others Missing, Burn Several Motorcycles

Kwara South, a once-peaceful senatorial district in Kwara State, has been thrown into mourning and fear after terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, ambushed local vigilantes, killing two, leaving six missing, and setting ablaze more than 27 motorcycles belonging to community defenders in Isanlu Isin, Isin Local Government Area of the state.

The attack, which followed weeks of escalating insecurity in the area, has deepened the plight of residents who say they have been abandoned by government authorities despite repeated cries for help.

According to the Isanlu Isin Community Development Association, the crisis began with bandit raids on Fulani settlements surrounding the community, where residents were attacked, kidnapped, and forced to pay heavy ransoms.

SaharaReporters learnt that many abducted individuals however remain unaccounted for.

As tensions rose, Fulani settlers abandoned their homes and began occupying uncompleted buildings in the town, a situation that locals say was duly reported but ignored by authorities.

Four days before the ambush, intelligence reportedly revealed plans by the bandits to invade the town.



In response, local vigilantes, supported by counterparts from Omu-Aran, Oko, Ola, and other neighbouring communities, mobilised to defend their people. Unfortunately, they were lured into an ambush by the attackers.

Despite putting up resistance, the vigilantes suffered heavy losses. Two men were killed, six others remain missing, and their motorcycles—critical to responding to distress calls—were destroyed.

With no intervention from security agencies, the distraught residents resorted to blocking the Ilorin–Lokoja highway to draw attention to their plight.

In a statement signed by Dr. Jacob Ayanda, Vice President of the Isanlu Isin Development Association, the community made a passionate appeal to the Nigerian government, the police, the army, and other relevant security agencies to intervene urgently.

They called for the replacement of the vigilantes’ motorcycles and equipment, immediate search-and-rescue operations for the missing men, and a full security operation to comb surrounding forests now infested with armed bandits.

The statement read, "For more than two months, our beloved community of Isanlu Isin, Kwara State, has been under siege by criminal bandits who have turned our once-peaceful land into a theater of fear, bloodshed, and uncertainty. Despite repeated reports to the Local Government Authority (LGA) and the Kwara State Government, no tangible action has been taken to safeguard the lives and property of our people.

"It began with the sacking of Fulani settlements surrounding our community. The bandits attacked, kidnapped, and shot several persons. Families of victims were forced to pay millions of naira in ransom, yet many abducted individuals remain unaccounted for. In the aftermath, Fulani residents abandoned their original settlements and now occupy uncompleted buildings within our town—a development that was adequately reported to the authorities, but met with deafening silence.

"Just four days ago, intelligence reached us that the bandits were planning to invade our town. Two spies were dispatched, one of whom was apprehended. In response, our local Vigilante Group, with support from neighboring communities—Omu-Aran, Oko, Ola, and others—mobilized to defend our land. Tragically, the vigilantes walked into an ambush. Though they fought bravely and repelled the attackers, the bandits retaliated with devastating impact: Over 27 motorcycles belonging to our vigilantes were set ablaze.

"Two of our gallant men were killed. Six remain missing. The saddest and most painful reality is that no government agency— neither local, state, nor federal —responded to our cries for help. Our vigilantes, who were the only shield between us and bloodthirsty criminals, are now demoralized, stripped of mobility, and unable to respond to distress calls.

In sheer desperation, we blocked the Ilorin–Lokoja road, not out of lawlessness, but to let the world see our plight and the gross insensitivity of those in authority who have abandoned us to our fate," he said.

According Ayanda, "Today, we raise our voices to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and all relevant security agencies: Come to the rescue of Isanlu Isin. Help us replace the motorcycles and resources of our vigilantes.

"Conduct immediate search and rescue operations for our missing men. Comb the bushes and forests around our community, now infested with armed bandits.

"Show that government still exists for the people, and that Nigerian citizens are not left to defend themselves in the face of organised terror.

"The blood of our people cries out for justice, and the safety of our women, children, and elders hangs in the balance. We cannot continue to live in fear in our own land. If nothing urgent is done, the whole area might collapse under the weight of insecurity and government negligence.

"We have spoken, not just for ourselves, but for the dignity of every neglected Nigerian community battling insecurity in silence. Isanlu Isin Community Development Association," Ayanda added.

Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says Nigeria has not been fortunate with quality leaders for a long time.

He said the country has been having leaders he described as lousy for many years.

The first-class monarch also said the country would have been bankrupt had the federal government not removed fuel subsidy.

The emir spoke at the second Kano International Poetry Festival (KAPFEST) held in Kano on Saturday.

The programme was organised by Poetic Wednesdays Initiative (PWI).

According to the emir, good governance is key to the salvaging the country from its current condition which the country has not been lucky.

He said, “You rise and fall with the quality of your leadership and Nigeria has had lousy leadership for a long time. You cannot give what you do not have until we begin to look at the people who we choose to lead us.

“And that’s the truth. I mean, in most parts of this country, you look at people who are leading you and you say, oh God, is this really the person? How did we end up here? You see it every day on the newspapers.

“You see it in the news. You see what happens in the legislature. You see the kind of debates that we are having, the kind of arguments that we have, the kind of time we waste on issues that are totally unimportant, the pettiness. You look at other countries, you look at other parts of the world, people are discussing climate change, discussing artificial intelligence.

“We are still talking about Yoruba or Igbo or Hausa, Northern or Christian, you know, that is, we are still mired in that debate. We are still in conversations that we had in the 1960s,” he added.

The emir, however, challenged the youths to rise up and takeover the country from the old people that have been managing it, saying with will, the youths could easily retire all them and takeover.


He also said subsidising fuel was never sustainable and the country would have been bankrupt by now if President Bola Tinubu didn’t remove it.

He said, “If you look at the billions and billions that were spent on subsidy, if that money had been spent on refineries, I have nothing against subsidies. If you are subsidizing production, I said it very clearly, my objection is the subsidy on consumption because we’re keeping refineries in Europe open. We’re giving jobs to refiners.

“And if we had taken 2012, we would not be where we are today. Now, people say to me, why aren’t you talking? I say, what am I to say? This is exactly what I said would happen because beyond a point, government revenue will not be enough to pay the subsidy. You have to borrow to pay the subsidy,”

He also warned that the rate at which governments in the country borrow money and squander it will have negative effect on the country’s economy in years to come.

Earlier, PWI Creative Director, Nasiba Babale, said KAPFEST with the theme, “Poetry in a time of crisis”, is aimed at reminding poets on how they can use poetry and art to advocate for peace in a time of the crisis bedeviling Northern Nigeria.

Bandits attacked worshippers during Isha prayer in Matazu town, Katsina State, leaving some people dead and others injured.

Security analyst Bakatsine shared the incident in a post on X on Friday, saying the gunmen stormed the mosque at night while people were praying.

He said; “Yesterday night, bandits attacked Matazu town in Katsina State, during Isha prayer, killing and injuring worshippers. Gov’t must act urgently because the attacks on worshippers in the northwest region are becoming too frequent,” Bakatsine wrote.

Authorities in Katsina State have not yet issued an official statement about the incident at the time of filing this report.