Fulani Bandits kill 10, kidnap 7 In Kwara
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that no fewer than 10 people, including a pregnant woman, were killed by suspected Fulani bandits in the early hours of Wednesday in Matogu village, located in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
In the aftermath of the deadly attack, the Nupe Descendants Union (NDU) issued a Save Our Souls (SOS) appeal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, seeking immediate intervention to rescue the affected communities and bolster security in the area.
According to the report, the armed assailants, described as young men, also abducted seven villagers and have since been demanding ransom from undisclosed hideouts.
Eyewitness accounts confirm that the attack began around 6 a.m. and lasted for four hours, with no intervention from security forces during that time.
A female resident of the village, who requested anonymity, recounted the traumatic experience. “My heart is heavy. I can hardly speak about what happened. These young Fulanis came early in the morning, killed many people, and kidnapped seven—young and old alike. A pregnant woman was shot by a stray bullet and died on the spot. They operated for hours, and no one stopped them.”
According to her, the attackers were first spotted by Kanuri farmers in nearby Macha village, who attempted to alert Matogu residents but were unable to get through due to poor mobile network coverage.
In response to the attack, Alhaji Shuaibu Shaba Mohammed, Chairman of the Nupe Descendants Union, led a press briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat on Old Offa Road, Ilorin, where he appealed directly to Governor AbdulRazaq to visit the troubled region and witness the community’s ordeal firsthand.
The NDU comprising the Patigi Emirate Development Union (PEDU), Lafiagi Development Union (LADU), Shonga Emirate Development Union (SHEDU), Tsaragi Emirate District Association (TSADA), and the Ilorin Emirate Nupe Association—expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for deploying security personnel. However, they noted that local vigilantes have suffered significant casualties in the process.
“Attacks on our people have been catastrophic,” said Mohammed. “People now live in fear. They can’t sleep with both eyes closed. The loss of lives, destruction of properties, and economic paralysis have devastated us. Many communities have been abandoned, and farming and commercial activities have ground to a halt.”
He also decried the closure of the International Gbugbu Market, once a thriving commercial hub, due to rampant insecurity.
While acknowledging the efforts of the state government, the NDU emphasized that more decisive and sustainable measures are urgently needed. These include:
Additional logistics and operational support for the military, police, local hunters, and vigilantes
Improved intelligence gathering and coordinated response strategies
A permanent security presence in vulnerable communities
Targeted relief and rehabilitation for victims of attacks
The group also blamed the region’s vulnerability on poor road infrastructure, stating that the attackers exploit bad roads using motorcycles. “Patigi to Ilorin, a journey that should take three hours, now takes over six due to terrible road conditions,” they lamented.
“We appeal to His Excellency to urgently rehabilitate the Patigi–Gbugbu–Lafiagi–Tsaragi–Bacita road network. Delay is dangerous. A stitch in time saves nine,” the statement concluded.
