Bandits Kill Soldiers, Residents in Kwara and Ekiti as Fresh Wave of Attacks Deepens Insecurity

A series of violent raids by armed groups has left soldiers and civilians dead across parts of Kwara and Ekiti states, reigniting concerns over worsening insecurity in Nigeria’s north-central and south-west regions.

In the early hours of Monday, armed men stormed Kemanji village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, opening fire on residents in an attack that quickly escalated into a deadly confrontation with security forces.

Security sources confirmed that troops of the Nigerian Army, alongside local vigilantes, engaged the attackers in a fierce exchange that lasted several hours before the assailants retreated. Several soldiers were reportedly killed during the operation, while the full extent of civilian casualties is still being assessed.

The assault in Kemanji adds to a string of recent violence in the area. Just days earlier, neighbouring Woro and Nuku communities were also targeted, leaving multiple people dead, homes destroyed, and more than 100 residents abducted and still unaccounted for.

Further south in Ekiti State, another attack was recorded on Sunday night in Ora Ayegbaju, within the Obbo-Ile axis of Ekiti Local Government Area. Armed men invaded the community around 10 p.m., forcing residents to flee in panic as gunfire rang out.

Three brothers were among those seriously injured in the attack and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Osi town. The victims were identified locally as members of the same family caught in the violence.

Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on either incident as communities continue to count their losses and grapple with fear of further attacks.

The latest violence underscores a persistent security challenge across rural Nigeria, where armed groups continue to target villages, highways, and farming communities with little resistance in some areas.