Gunmen Attack Kwara LGA, Kill Vigilante, Burn Houses
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that suspected members of the ‘Mahmuda’ group launched an attack on Karongi town in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State on Sunday, killing one person and setting several houses ablaze.
The assailants reportedly stormed the community early Sunday morning, taking advantage of the absence of local vigilantes—some of whom were away attending a training workshop, while others had traveled for the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen operated unchallenged between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. before they were eventually repelled by a combined team of soldiers and vigilantes mobilized from neighboring settlements.
Although the Kwara State Police Command claimed to be unaware of the attack, the Nigerian Army confirmed the incident.
The Emir of Yashikira Emirate, Alhaji Umoru Sariki, whose domain includes Karongi, also confirmed the attack. He stated that one person was killed and several homes were destroyed by the attackers.
“The bandits from the Mahmuda group struck around 6 a.m. on Sunday. They killed one person and burned many houses. The town was vulnerable due to the absence of local vigilantes, who had traveled for Sallah or were away on training,” the Emir said.
“We had to mobilize help from nearby communities to push them out. I appeal to the Federal Government and the military to establish a security base in Karongi or nearby to protect our people,” he added.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said she was not aware of the attack.
However, Lt. Stephen Nwankwo, Public Relations Officer of the 22 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Sobi, Ilorin, confirmed the incident on Monday. According to him, one vigilante was killed and several makeshift houses were torched during the attack.
“Soldiers were alerted and deployed to the area. Unfortunately, one of the vigilantes who accompanied them was killed,” he said.
