Tension briefly gripped parts of Share community, the headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area in Kwara State, on Sunday evening following a gunfire exchange between suspected bandits and security operatives.
Eyewitnesses said the armed men engaged security personnel, including troops of the Nigerian Army, who were working in collaboration with forest guards and other local security outfits. The combined forces successfully repelled the attackers.
Local security sources confirmed that the exchange of gunfire lasted for about one hour and occurred around 8:30 p.m., close to the headquarters of the Ifelodun Local Government Secretariat.
Authorities said the swift and coordinated response by the security operatives prevented the attackers from gaining ground, adding that there were no confirmed cases of casualties or abductions arising from the incident.
The development came just hours after suspected bandits attacked Kakafu community, a remote settlement in Patigi Local Government Area, where four residents were reportedly kidnapped.
According to sources, the attackers abducted four persons — a man, a woman and her two female children — during the early-morning operation, which occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday and threw the community into confusion.
Residents said the assailants fired sporadic gunshots into the air on arrival, causing panic as villagers fled for safety.
“They did not kill anyone. They only abducted the four victims and fired indiscriminately to create fear and confusion among the villagers,” a source said.
A forest guard, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said residents of the area remained traumatised and fearful of further attacks.
“People are still in shock. Panic has gripped the community because the assailants are believed to be hiding in nearby villages,” he said.
Kwara State has witnessed a rise in attacks by gunmen in recent weeks, heightening concerns among residents, particularly in rural communities. The violence has raised fears that armed groups may be expanding southward along the Niger–Kwara axis toward the Kainji forest, which security analysts warn could become a new operational base if unchecked.
The Federal Government has repeatedly assured Nigerians that measures are being taken to stem the attacks and improve security across affected areas.
