Suspected bandits launched an attack on Eruku community in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State early Friday, setting a vehicle on fire before being repelled by local security operatives.
Residents reported that the raid occurred around 5:00 a.m., with heavily armed gunmen storming the village. Some noted that Eruku has faced repeated attacks in recent times, heightening concerns about the deteriorating security situation.
“Eruku is my village, and this is not the first time bandits are attacking us. The last time they came, it was during a church live programme,” a local resident said. During Friday’s attack, the assailants fired sporadically and burned a vehicle, prompting residents to call for urgent help.
A local security source confirmed that vigilantes and forest guards confronted the attackers, preventing the situation from worsening. “It was an attempted kidnapping that was successfully repelled by security operatives,” the source said.
Eruku lies along the boundary between Kwara and neighboring Kogi State, an area increasingly vulnerable to armed groups operating from nearby forests. Residents explained that the proximity to communities in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi, which has seen intensified banditry and kidnappings, has made Eruku and surrounding villages easy targets.
Repeated attacks have left many residents living in fear, with some families considering leaving their homes if security measures are not improved. Villagers are calling on the Kwara State Government and security agencies to deploy more personnel and strengthen protection in border communities to prevent further attacks.
