Tragedy in Kwara: Farmer Shot by Terrorists Dies in Benin Hospital

• The Chikanda community of Kwara was thrown into mourning following the death of Ibrahim Abubakar, a farmer who was shot by terrorists
• His passing came just weeks after the abduction of his elder brother as the rising wave of insecurity along Nigeria’s border with Benin Republic worsens
• Community leaders and residents called for urgent government intervention as fear, kidnappings, and killings continue to paralyse farming and local trade

Grief has engulfed the Chikanda community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara state following the death of Ibrahim Abubakar, a farmer who was shot by terrorists during a kidnap attack earlier this month.

Ibrahim, who sustained a gunshot wound when armed men attacked his farmland on August 4, 2025, passed away in the early hours of Sunday, August 24, while receiving treatment at a hospital in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

His death comes just weeks after the same incident in which his elder brother, Alhaji Issah Abubakar, was kidnapped and later released on August 9 after the family paid an undisclosed ransom.

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Speaking to Legit.ng, a family source described the incident as “a double tragedy.”

“We lost Ibrahim after struggling for weeks to keep him alive. The family is devastated because while we were still trying to recover from Issah’s kidnap, now we have lost his younger brother. It is heartbreaking,” the source said.

Residents live in fear

The Baruten axis, which shares a border with Benin Republic, has come under repeated attacks by terrorists in recent months, leaving farmers and traders in constant fear.

Community leader Malam Sulaiman Yusuf told Legit.ng that the security situation has crippled economic activities.

“People are afraid to go to their farms because these bandits now operate freely. Just days after Ibrahim and Issah were attacked in Chikanda, another mother, Mrs. Zulaihat Yusuf, was kidnapped in Shiya community. Even though she was released on August 21, the fear in our community has not gone away,” he said.

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Residents call for urgent action

Residents are now appealing to both state and federal authorities to intervene before the situation worsens.

A youth in Baruten, Bilihaminu, stressed that the local security architecture needs urgent reinforcement.

“We need the Nigerian Army and Police to be more proactive. Our local vigilantes are doing their best, but they are not well equipped to confront heavily armed terrorists. If nothing is done, we will continue to lose our people,” Ahmed told Legit.ng.

The tragic death of Ibrahim Abubakar has once again brought to the fore the rising insecurity in Nigeria’s border communities, with many residents warning that unless swift action is taken, more lives will be lost and farming activities may completely collapse.

Meanwhile, while speaking as a guest on a live broadcast at Channels TV on Tuesday evening, a community leader in Kwara, Anu Ibiwoye claimed that the majority of the terrorists ravaging communities in Kwara state are foreigners.

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“From what we hear from the experiences of those who have been kidnapped, what we hear is that these people are Fulani people. They hear the language they speak. They can identify them by their facial looks,” Ibiwoye said.

“In some cases, some of these people are not even Nigerians. But they have entered our communities and are operating freely.”

Bandits abduct seven residents

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that in a fresh attack in the northern part of Kwara State, bandits abducted several residents of the state despite the recent arrest of a dreaded terrorist leader, Mahmud Mohammed Usman.

Suspected bandits killed a prominent community member in Lade, Patigi LGA, and abducted others in another major community in the state.

Residents fled their homes due to repeated bandit attacks, while community leaders express fear and anger over the continued insecurity.

Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng