Bandits launched another attack on Isapa community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, attempting to abduct residents in the early hours of Monday. According to community sources, the attackers stormed the area but were confronted by local vigilantes who were already on alert following recent security threats. The vigilante members engaged the bandits in a gun battle, successfully preventing any abductions and forcing the assailants to flee.
Following the confrontation, the community issued an urgent SOS message to the Kwara State Government. State authorities immediately directed soldiers stationed in nearby Eruku to move in and reinforce security efforts. Residents said the timely arrival of the military and the bravery of the vigilantes played a significant role in preventing casualties. Community leaders also claimed that the vigilantes survived unharmed, alleging that bullets fired at them “did not penetrate,” a detail that has circulated widely within the community.
Isapa lies only five kilometres from Eruku, the town that suffered a deadly bandit attack last week. During that earlier incident, armed men invaded a Christ Apostolic Church during a service, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others. The victims included both church members and non-members who were present during the service. Reuters and Channels Television reported that the kidnappers later demanded ransom, initially pegging it at ₦100 million per person before allegedly reducing it to ₦20 million each, although communication with the abductors has since become unclear.
The Treasurer of the Isapa Peoples Union (IPU), Abayomi Daramola, confirmed the latest attack in an interview. He explained that residents alerted him immediately after the bandits attempted to invade the community. He praised the vigilance of the local security network, stating that their resistance helped prevent another round of mass abductions in the area. Daramola added that the attackers fled once soldiers arrived to reinforce the vigilantes.
The repeated attacks have raised concerns across Kwara State, where security officials have now increased military presence and intensified surveillance around vulnerable rural communities. Recent intelligence reports, including briefings cited by Reuters, suggest that armed groups operating near Kogi and Ekiti borders are responsible for the surge in attacks, taking advantage of dense forests and unmanned routes to infiltrate towns.
