Kwara: Concerns as Suspected Terrorists Target Politicians, INEC Staff
- Bandits abducted the wife and daughter of APC chairman Mohammed Swasun in Patigi LGA, Kwara State
- INEC officials in Patigi and Edu LGAs shut offices after kidnap threats, halting voter registration
- Fresh raid in Edu LGA killed a newly married man and saw hundreds of cattle stolen by gunmen
Fear has gripped several communities in Kwara State following fresh attacks by suspected terrorists, popularly known as bandits, who are now targeting politicians and electoral officials.
Legit.ng gathered that on Sunday night, gunmen stormed Sakpefu community in the Lade district of Patigi Local Government Area and abducted the wife and daughter of the local chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Mohammed Swasun.
Source: Original
Witnesses told Legit.ng that the attack was carefully coordinated and carried out in the early hours of Monday. The victims, identified as Hajia Fatima and her daughter Amina, were taken away to an undisclosed location.
A community source explained that the bandits had been monitoring the APC chairman for weeks.
He said:
“The chairman is not usually at home because of insecurity. Unfortunately, he came back on Sunday to check on his family, and that was when the bandits struck at midnight. From the way they operated, it was a planned attack. People later said in town that they were waiting for him to return before making their move.”
The resident confirmed that the criminals deliberately targeted the politician because of his influence.
He added:
“They know he is a politician, and abducting his wife and daughter will fetch them ransom. The trend now is that they are focusing on politicians and those involved in political activities.”
INEC staff flee over kidnap threats
Legit.ng learned that the situation has also forced staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Patigi and Edu LGAs to lock their offices and abandon their duties.
Source: Twitter
Sources revealed that intelligence operatives warned INEC officials that they could become “soft targets” for bandits.
A community source disclosed that Lade town in Patigi has been largely deserted due to repeated attacks.
According to him:
“The INEC staff are terrified. They don’t want to risk being kidnapped. Everyone knows if they kidnap INEC workers, it will embarrass the government and force negotiations.”
The source added that the development is already affecting national security conversations.
He explained:
“If INEC officials are abducted, it won’t just cause embarrassment to the country, it will put serious pressure on the Tinubu government. That is why they are staying away from their offices.”
Residents confirmed to Legit.ng that the closure of INEC offices has crippled the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in both Patigi and Edu LGAs in Kwara.
They said this has further reduced their confidence in government promises to tackle insecurity.
Another deadly attack in Edu LGA
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also gathered that suspected bandits attacked Bokungi settlement in Tsaragi, Edu LGA of Kwara state, on Wednesday, killing one person and rustling hundreds of cattle.
The gunmen reportedly stormed the Fulani settlement around midnight, shooting indiscriminately before carting away livestock. Residents said Muhammadu, the newly married son of Alhaji Mumini, was killed in the raid.
A local resident narrated:
“It was around early hours of Wednesday when the bandits stormed the community. They shoot into the air in their regular style.
“They killed Mumini’s son, who married just last month. The attackers came through Bokungi, and when they couldn’t break into Garuba’s house, they rustled all his cows.”
Vigilante groups and soldiers later engaged the bandits in a brief gun duel, but residents told Legit.ng that it remains unclear whether any of the stolen cattle were recovered.
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 are fleeing their homes due to repeated bandit attacks, while community leaders express fear and anger over the continued insecurity.
Source: Legit.ng
