In a statement on Sunday, the command said the incident occurred at about 7:00 a.m. when gunmen invaded the Ogbayo area of Oke-Ode and opened fire indiscriminately.
The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that 12 vigilante members, including the Baale of Ogbayo, were killed during an armed attack in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, on Sunday morning.
In a statement on Sunday, the command said the incident occurred at about 7:00 a.m. when gunmen invaded the Ogbayo area of Oke-Ode and opened fire indiscriminately.
“At about 7:00am today, armed men invaded the Ogbayo area of Oke-Ode, shooting sporadically. A combined team of police operatives and members of the National Forest Security Service responded swiftly to the scene, where they discovered 12 lifeless bodies of vigilante members, including the Baale of Ogbayo,” the statement read.
It added that the victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds, while four others who were injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.
The command assured that efforts were underway, in collaboration with the military and the National Forest Security Service, to track down those responsible.
“The Kwara State Police Command, in collaboration with the military and NFSS, has intensified efforts to track down the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. Manhunt operations are ongoing and the Command assures residents that those responsible will be brought to justice,” it stated.
Commissioner of Police, CP Adekimi Ojo, expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Adekimi Ojo, psc, mnips, deeply commiserates with the families of the victims; praying for the repose of their souls. He assures the people of Kwara State of the unwavering commitment of the Police Command to their safety and security,” the statement added.
The command said further updates would be communicated in due course.
Earlier on Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that at least 10 members of local vigilante groups, including a community head and forest guards, had been killed, while five others were abducted after terrorists launched an attack on Oke-Ode community.
Residents said the assailants stormed the agrarian town in large numbers in the early hours of Sunday, engaging the vigilantes in a fierce confrontation.
The media learnt that the vigilantes, who have long served as the first line of defence for rural communities in the absence of a consistent military presence, were reportedly overpowered by the attackers.
A video obtained shows several lifeless bodies lying in pools of blood as grieving family members and sympathisers gathered around them in anguish.
A source in the area described the situation as “terrible,” lamenting the sudden withdrawal of Nigerian soldiers who had previously been stationed nearby.
“We don’t know why they withdrew the soldiers. Now our people are exposed. We learnt that 10 people were killed and five were kidnapped. The situation is now terrible,” the source said.
The incident has heightened fear among villagers who rely heavily on vigilante groups for security in the face of recurring bandit attacks in Kwara South and North of the state.
Confirming the attack, the press secretary to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, described the killings as devastating. Writing in a WhatsApp group, he described the situation as devastating beyond words.
“This is sad. Devastating beyond words. Pls be patient. It could have been worse without the effort of the forest guards. Three guards died, one got injured. Many of the attackers also died,” he said.
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