According to residents, the gunmen opened fire on him without provocation, leaving him dead on the spot before escaping into the night.
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a resident, identified as Alhaji Gomina, shortly after evening prayers in Lade community, Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Sunday night.
The victim had just concluded the ‘Isha’i’ prayer at a local mosque and was heading home when the attackers waylaid him, TheInformant247 reports.
According to residents, the gunmen opened fire on him without provocation, leaving him dead on the spot before escaping into the night.
The killing has thrown the community into mourning, with locals describing Alhaji Gomina as a well-respected man known for his dedication to religious and communal activities.
Security concerns have continued to grow in Kwara North and South in recent months, as several communities have reported cases of attacks, kidnappings, and forced displacement.
Many villagers in Patigi, Edu, and parts of Ifelodun and Ekiti local government areas had abandoned their ancestral homes out of fear of bandit raids.
Community leaders in Lade have called on the state government and security agencies to urgently step up efforts to protect residents, warning that continued silence and inaction could lead to further displacement and insecurity.
At the time of filing this report, neither the police nor government authorities had issued an official statement on the incident.
SaharaReporters previously reported that hundreds of residents in Kwara South had abandoned their ancestral homes following a surge in kidnapping incidents, particularly in Ifelodun Local Government Area, where attacks by suspected armed bandits have become a daily occurrence.
A video obtained by SaharaReporters shows a resident, identified as Ganiyu Babatunde, pleading with the Kwara State Government to intervene and protect the people from worsening insecurity urgently.
Communities such as Sabe, Ologomo, Alabe, and Babanla in Ifelodun Local Government Area are among the hardest hit, with families forced to flee in large numbers.
SaharaReporters gathered that many residents, including women and children, were seen at Oke-Ode garage with their belongings, desperately seeking vehicles to convey them to safer locations.
Locals say the wave of kidnappings has left them living in fear, with many abandoning their farms, homes, and businesses as the insecurity crisis deepens.
Some of the affected people lamented that if their communities became deserted, there would be no one left for the government to govern.
They expressed frustration, explaining that if the rightful owners abandoned their ancestral homes, strangers could easily take over their heritage.
A resident, who identified himself as Babatunde, said, “Please, Kwara State Government, come to our aid. Since I have been travelling from Ajase to Oke-Ode, I have encountered more than 10 vehicles filled with people fleeing their ancestral homes with their belongings. Some of them are even coming from Babanla.
“I’m at Oke-Ode Garage. All the vehicles here have left for Sabe community to convey people who are running away from their homes. As you can see, I’m at Oke-Ode garage right now. Some people just brought their belongings here, trying to flee.
“Kwara State Governor, please come to our aid. The issue of insecurity in our communities is terrifying us. We don’t know what to do anymore.
“We are using this opportunity to call on the Kwara State Government and those at the helm of affairs. Communities that used to live peacefully are no longer peaceful.
“I have been here since morning, and there is no vehicle left. They have all gone to other communities to pick up people, even using motorcycles. A Dangote truck is being used to convey people and their belongings.”
“Please, Kwara State Governor, come to our aid. We are in Oke-Ode community, and everyone is fleeing. Kidnappers have turned our community into a deserted place,” the resident added.
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