By Adesina Quadri Ademola
A Kwara widow, Mrs Gbemisola Muhammed, popularly known as Yéyé Oge, has relived the horror of losing her husband and several family members in a recent bandits’ attack on Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing how the tragedy pushed her to the brink of suicide.
In an interview published by Punch and obtained by Newsbulletin Nigeria, Mrs Muhammed recounted that her husband, a prince of Agunjin and a hunter, was among those brutally killed when heavily armed assailants invaded the quiet community, leaving scores dead and several others kidnapped.
She said, “I lost everything in a single day — my husband, my brothers-in-law, my business, and my peace of mind. At one point, I almost took my life because everyone who could have supported me was killed.”
According to her, the attack came after repeated warnings that bandits were plotting to raid the area. “We informed the security agencies, but nothing was done,” she lamented.
Mrs Muhammed alleged that a day before the assault, the officer supervising the hunters ordered that their guns be collected for ‘repairs,’ leaving the community defenceless. “That gave the bandits the upper hand,” she said.
She further claimed that the attackers were not ordinary criminals but part of a coordinated group, alleging that helicopters had been sighted dropping men and ammunition in nearby forests at night.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the bandits moved strategically — attacking the hunters’ post first before killing those found on the main road. Among the victims were a doctor identified as Baba Gold, his wife and children, and a hunter named Oluode Ologomo, who was reportedly stripped of his charms before being shot dead.
Local residents said no fewer than 22 people were killed, while several others, including a young couple and their two-month-old baby, were abducted from a hospital. Police authorities, however, have yet to release an updated casualty figure, although earlier reports confirmed multiple fatalities.
Mrs Muhammed disclosed that her mother-in-law, who had just returned from Hajj, narrowly escaped death after bandits raided her home but carted away her phones and belongings. “They even asked after me. I believe they came for my family deliberately because I am a hunter and had once said Oke-Ode could not be attacked,” she said.
The widow, now displaced and destitute, appealed for urgent government intervention. “I have lost my home, my business worth nearly ₦2 million, and even my car. We need the government’s help before Oke-Ode and neighbouring towns are wiped out completely,” she pleaded.
Residents of the area continue to live in fear, as security presence remains thin following the withdrawal of military personnel weeks before the incident. Community leaders and local authorities have repeatedly called on the Kwara State Government and federal agencies to deploy more troops and address the rising wave of insecurity in Ifelodun and the surrounding local councils.
The Ifelodun Local Government Chairman, Mr Femi Yusuf, reportedly visited the community and survivors, assuring them that efforts were underway to restore security.
Analysts believe the Oke-Ode attack reflects a broader pattern of vulnerability in rural Nigeria, where local defence groups remain under-equipped and under-supported.
For Mrs Muhammed, the future is uncertain. “Only God can help me now,” she said quietly, her voice heavy with grief. “But I hope the government will not abandon us.”
