Three Bandits Killed, Nine Abductees Rescued In Kwara Security Raid

Nine kidnapped victims have been rescued and three suspected bandits killed during a coordinated security operation in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, following an intelligence-led mission by joint security operatives.

The rescue operation was carried out by Kwara State Forest Guards, in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), local hunters, and vigilantes across the Obbo-Aiyegunle, Ejiu-Ora, and Osi axis of the local government area, which borders Ekiti and Niger states.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of Ekiti Local Government Council, Prince Dada Sunday, the victims were abducted from Eju community shortly after the local market and were being moved through a forest route toward Niger State before security operatives intercepted the kidnappers.

One of the rescued victims, Umaru Muazu of Obbo-Aiyegunle, said the attackers struck at about 4:57 p.m., seizing him and his son at gunpoint before taking them into the bush.

“Men came from nowhere and put a gun to my head. Four of them took me and my son. Fear gripped me, and I fell to the ground. They also took my friend’s motorcycle and kidnapped us,” Muazu recounted.

Another victim, Ibrahim Danga, also from Obbo-Aiyegunle, said they had only been held for a short period before security personnel arrived and engaged the kidnappers.

A member of the Kwara Forest Guards, Owolabi Adebayo, said the rescue followed sustained intelligence gathering and bush-combing operations, which led to a fierce gun battle with the armed men.

“We neutralized three of them and rescued nine people. One of the victims sustained injuries and is currently receiving medical attention,” Adebayo said.

He, however, noted that the criminals were heavily armed and appealed for improved logistics and equipment, including body armour, night-vision goggles, binoculars, communication devices, and additional ammunition to strengthen ongoing operations.

The Chief Security Officer of Ekiti Local Government Area, Agbemuko Gabriel, commended the Forest Guards and other security personnel for their swift intervention, describing their intelligence-driven operations as instrumental in improving security across the area.

The latest rescue comes amid renewed efforts by security agencies to tackle kidnapping and armed attacks along communities bordering Kwara, Ekiti, and Niger states, where criminal groups have increasingly exploited forest corridors to carry out abductions. Authorities have assured residents that operations will continue to dismantle criminal hideouts and improve security across the region.