Suspected terrorists have killed at least five people in a pre-dawn attack on the Kemanji community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, sparking panic among residents and highlighting renewed security concerns in the area.
The assault, which occurred around 3:00 a.m. on Monday, triggered a fierce gun battle between the attackers and a combined team of soldiers, forest guards, and local vigilantes that lasted for about two hours.
Eyewitnesses said the heavily armed assailants stormed the community in large numbers and launched a direct हमला on a security post, engaging operatives in intense crossfire that forced residents to flee into nearby bushes and neighbouring communities.
Casualty figures from the incident varied, with multiple sources confirming that security personnel were among those killed. While some residents put the death toll at five, including soldiers and a vigilante member, others claimed that as many as four soldiers were killed alongside a local guard. Several others were reportedly injured.
A community source said the attackers overpowered the security team during the exchange and made away with weapons, ammunition, motorcycles, and an army gun truck.
“They came in large numbers and attacked the security formation. They killed some soldiers and vigilantes and took away guns, motorcycles, and even an army vehicle,” the source said.
Another resident confirmed that the attackers did not target civilians but focused on security personnel. “They didn’t harm residents or carry out abductions. Their main target was the security forces,” he said.
The village head of Kemanji, Alhaji Sanni Zikki, also confirmed the incident, attributing the attack to terrorists believed to have operated from the Kainji National Park axis. He said security operatives put up resistance despite the intensity of the нападение.
“There were heavy gunshots everywhere. It was intense, but the security men tried. We lost some soldiers, and others were injured,” he said, adding that there were no civilian casualties.
Injured victims were reportedly taken to Kaiama General Hospital, with severe cases referred to Ilorin for further treatment, while security forces launched a pursuit operation into nearby forests.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the police or military authorities, and efforts to reach the Kwara State Commissioner of Police and local government officials were unsuccessful.
The latest attack comes amid a wave of violence in the Kaiama Local Government Area. Days earlier, five forest guards were killed in Nuku community, while in February, at least 75 people were reported dead in coordinated attacks described by Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq as a massacre.
Following the earlier killings, President Bola Tinubu ordered the deployment of additional troops under Operation Savannah Shield to strengthen security in the state, but Monday’s нападение underscores the persistent threat facing rural communities.
