Residents of Kwara South Senatorial District are living on the edge as armed bandits continue to hold at least 22 people hostage across several communities, demanding more than N400 million in ransom, alongside food and drinks.
The unfolding security crisis has spread panic across towns and villages, forcing some residents to flee their homes in fear of further attacks. Checks across the axis indicate that the abductions are not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated campaign exploiting the district’s difficult terrain and porous borders.
Available information shows that nine persons were abducted in Adanla community on Boxing Day, December 26, 2025, with the kidnappers reportedly demanding N300 million for their release. In Afin Isapa, 11 people are being held, with a ransom of N35 million placed on their heads. Four other victims were seized along the Isanlu–Isin highway, while two were kidnapped in Owa-Onire. Eight additional residents were taken from Ikosin community.
Communities affected by the wave of abductions include Adanla, Ikosin, Afin Isapa, Isanlu-Isin and Owa-Onire, all within Kwara South. The scale and frequency of the attacks have heightened anxiety, particularly among farmers and traders who rely on daily movement across rural routes.
Of particular concern is the abduction of the Oniwo of Afin, Oba Olanipekun, alongside his son, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps. Sources said the bandits have threatened to kill either the monarch or his son to demonstrate their resolve should the ransom not be paid promptly.
Investigations indicate that the criminal gangs are taking advantage of vast forests, hills and caves in the region to evade security forces. The challenge is further compounded by allegations that some locals are aiding the bandits by supplying food, shelter and intelligence, exploiting weak communication and coordination between communities and security agencies.
Although government sources acknowledge the problem of local informants, specific details on countermeasures remain sketchy. However, credible insiders revealed that repeated appeals have been made to community leaders and residents to identify and expose collaborators within their midst.
In response, the Kwara State Government has trained and deployed forest guards to work alongside conventional security agencies in combing the forests, while joint patrols have been intensified in flashpoints. Recent operations, it was gathered, led to the neutralisation of some bandits and the arrest of suspects accused of supplying arms, food and other logistics to the criminals.
A security source said the state government, working with federal agencies, has made it clear that banditry will not be tolerated and that restoring peace in Kwara South remains a priority. He stressed the importance of community engagement, urging residents to report suspicious movements and provide actionable intelligence.
The source also called for increased patrols and checkpoints in vulnerable areas, stronger collaboration among security agencies, traditional rulers and community leaders, as well as the use of technology and human intelligence to track the gangs.
He further suggested the temporary closure of Kara cattle markets, where bandits are believed to store weapons and hold clandestine meetings, arguing that decisive action is required to break the criminal networks and reassure a population caught in a deepening security dilemma.
