3,000 Residents Flee Communities over Bandits Attack in Kwara

40-year-old Irmiya killed by suspected herder in Bauchi

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin  and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

No fewer than 3,000 residents of 15 communities in Babanla town in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State,, at the weekend reportedly fled the communities over the reported incessant attacks by suspected kidnappers and bandits.

In another development, Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed that one Irmiya Yohanna, 40, of Kaduna-Bogoro in Bogoro Local Government Area of the state, has been gruesomely killed.

In Kwara, already, the federal government has deployed five war fighter jets, while police have also deployed joint security personnel to the town to protect life and property.

THISDAY checks investi-gations revealed that among the affected communities deserted by the residents are Eka, Upper Eka, Lower Eka, Kudagbari, Gbanmu, Oloruntele, Baba Sango, Ibudo Idowu, Ibudo Olosun, Ayetoro, and Apata Olosun.

It was gathered that the suspected kidnappers and bandits have been attacking these communities forthe  the last two months.

Sources close to the Babanla town told journalists over the weekend that the incident has forced many of the affected residents to relocate to safer areas, which hitherto has affected the socio-economic growth of the areas.

Sources said that the latest incident was last Friday, when over 200 bandits invaded the main town of Babanla and killed about five persons, including a police man, and also carted away property.

Speaking with journalists at the weekend on the incident, the traditional ruler of Babanla town, His Royal Highness, Oba Alliu Alabi Yusuf Adegboyega, said: “The bandits and kidnappers have been terrorising us here in Babanla communities for the past two months now.

“And the situation was so serious that several residents of 15 communities that surrounded Babanla town have deserted the communities for fear of being attacked by the bandits.”

He said that,he last attack happened ast Friday ,where over 200 bandits on motorbikes invaded the main town of Babanla and attacked the police station and shops of the residents of the town.

During the attack, five people were killed, including a policeman man and also burnt the police station at Babanla.”

Oba Adegboyega, who lauded the quick response from he state government and security agencies in the state for curbing the attack, said that the response of the affected stakeholders has restored normalcy to the town.

He also said that the deployment of soldiers, vigilantes, policemen, and war-fighting jets has gone a long way to restore peace to the town.

Adegboyega, however, called for the establishment of military barracks in the area to bring a permanent solution to the influx of suspected kidnappers and bandits to the town and other adjoining towns and villages.

Meanwhile, the state Police Command at the weekend has reinforced more security agents in Babanla town.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Adekimi Ojo, stated this in Ilorin in a statement after a joint on-site assessment with the state Director of State Security Service(DSS) of the town.

The statement, which was signed by the state Police Command Public Relations Officer(PPRO), Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said: “‎On August 8, 2025, armed criminals in their hundreds, riding on motorcycles, invaded Babanla community, attacked the Divisional Police headquarters, and raided the market.

“The assailants fired sporadically, killing five people, including a police officer, Adejumo Wasiu. A swift and coordinated response by police operatives, Nigerian Army personnel, vigilantes, and local hunters repelled the attack, restored order, and initiated a full-scale manhunt for the perpetrators.

“Today, the state Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, accompanied by the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Kwara State Command, paid an on-the-spot assessment visit to Babanla to evaluate the security situation.

“They met with His Royal Highness, Oba Yusuf Aliyu Alabi Arojojoye II, the traditional ruler of Babanla. They held high-level discussions aimed at consolidating peace and strengthening inter-agency and community-security collaboration.

“The joint security delegation toured key locations in the community, including the market, the Divisional Police headquarters, and surrounding areas to ensure that stability has been fully restored.

The Commissioner of Police ordered sustained armed patrols, continuous intelligence gathering, and the deployment of specialised tracking teams.

“At the same time, the DSS pledged continuous intelligence support to apprehend all those involved in the attack.

“The Command reiterates its unwavering commitment, in synergy with sister security agencies, to safeguarding lives and property in all parts of Kwara State. Residents are urged to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperative with security agencies by providing credible information,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed that one Irmiya Yohanna, 40, of Kaduna-Bogoro in Bogoro Local Government Area of the state, has been gruesomely killed.

The command stated that the death of Irmiya created tension in the village, leading to the killing of sheep in the village.

According to the Command PPRO, CSP Mohammed Ahmed Wakil,  “On August 8, 2025, at about 0100hours, the Command received a report from one Emmanuel Bulus, the village head of Kaduna via Bogoro LGA, Bauchi State, that one Irmiya Yohanna, aged 40, of Kaduna-Bogoro, went to a farm at the outskirts of the village on August 07, 2025.”

He stated further that: “As he couldn’t return home, a search was conducted within and around the farm, and his lifeless body was found lying on the farm.”

The PPRO stated further that: “On receipt of the report, a team of policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Fitoka Golda, swung into action, visited the scene and moved the deceased to Bogoro General Hospital, where a medical doctor certified him dead.”

Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was suspected to have been killed by an anonymous person.

Subsequently, some irate locals allegedly invaded some cattle around the village, stabbed and killed 20 cows, 19 sheep, while several others were injured.

However, 249 cows were rescued by the police, and one Ahmadu Mairiga, who was suspected of being responsible for the tragic death of Irmiya Yohanna, was arrested.

The investigation further revealed that the deceased was on a visit to his farm, surprisingly sighted some cows rearing in his farm, and sought the herders to chase the cows out of his farm, which resulted in a physical confrontation leading to the tragic death of the farmer, Irmiya Yohanna.

The state Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the scene, met the Chairman of Bogoro, Fulalani’s heads (Ardo), traditional rulers, Sayawa leaders, other relevant stakeholders, and the general locals crowded at the front of the Bogoro Divisional Police headquarters.

He addressed them on the efforts and measures put in place to address the tragic circumstance by the Police Command.

However, the CP urged members of the Bogoro community to exercise patience, warnin

Again, Osun Calls on FG to Release  LG Funds

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Osun State Government has again renewed its call on the federal government to release the state’s local government allocations in recognition and compliance with the recent Court of Appeal judgement on the state local government leadership question.

The government also welcomed and supported he intervention of traditional rulers and other leaders of thought to secure the immediate release of the fund to stop the current hardship the fund seizure is inflicting on grassroots communities across the state.

The government in a statement made by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment. 

Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, affirmed that there is no legal or political basis for withholding the allocations, asserting that “before the law today, the elected chairmen and councilors that were produced by the local government elections of February 22, 2025, are the official leaders of the local government areas in Osun State.

“We are aware that the federal government and indeed the presidency have all the facts of the situation concerning the local governments,  and the reality remains that the court judgment sacking the APC Yes/No election chairmen and councilors remains valid, and was recently validated by the June 13 judgement of the Court of Appeal. There should not be any further controversy after the appeal court judgement recognising the elected chairmen and councillors who are products of the February 22, 2025, local government elections.

“We further submit that there is no judicial judgement halting the release of the withheld fund, as the Supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy has never been implemented, and Osun State alone cannot be singled out from the 36 states, even if the apex court judgement has come into effect.

“We clarify further that even if the Supreme Court judgment is applied to Osun State, the local government accounts for such payment must still be opened with the duly elected officials of the February 22 election and accredited local officials as signatories in line with the law passed by the state Assembly as provided by Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Hence, there is still no ground to withhold the state local government allocations.

“As a government, we are aware that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu only got to know about the funds seizure from the Nigerian Tribune front page during the Eid (Ileya) holidays, which means that the Attorney-General of the Federation instructed the Accountant-General of the Federation to withhold the funds without the presidential approval. We, therefore, appeal to the president to intervene and order the release of Osun State local government allocations. 

“We further support the plan by the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers to meet the president on this matter. The local government crisis is beyond politics, as it has to do with governmental levels that directly affect the lives of our people. The intervention of our apolitical monarchs is therefore a welcome development.”

The statement added: “As a government, we learnt that those who masterminded the fund seizure were targeting Governor Ademola Adeleke, but the real victims are the people of Osun State who are well at home with good governance delivery across Osun State. The attack on the state governor has failed, and we urge those behind the illegal move to abandon the anti-people path and release the local government funds without further delay.”