Six travelers were kidnapped by armed bandits on Sunday night in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State, along the Shagba-Babanla route under the Igbaja Division.
The Babanla neighborhood is in a state of panic as a result of the incident, which happened at around 7:15 p.m., and locals are expressing increasing concerns about the area’s growing insecurity.
Newsmen were informed by security sources that the victims were on their way from Oke-Ode to Babanla when the gunmen ambushed them and drove them to an unidentified location.
Wasiu Wahabi, Gani, Abdulateef Meco, and the Chief Imam of Babanla town, Alhaji Sarafa Raheem, were among those kidnapped.
As of the time this report was filed, the identity of two further victims were still unknown, however reports suggested that one of the victims the attackers had taken was a Bororo man.
Residents of Babanla and the surrounding settlements are demanding immediate security agency action as a result of the incident, which has caused tension and fear.
According to locals cited in the Daily Post, the incident happened in the evening when armed men invaded some areas and forcibly removed the victims.
According to witnesses, the shooters emerged out of nowhere, operated for a few minutes, and then fled the scene with their victims.
The scenario was alarming, according to a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, and the neighborhood had grown more concerned about the growing number of insecurity instances.
Residents who often travel along the Shagba–Babanla road, which is allegedly an important route connecting various settlements in the area, are also more afraid as a result of the kidnapping.
Security services have been urged by the community to step up efforts to save the victims and reestablish local safety.
In order to stop other attacks, they also asked the government to increase the security presence along the road.
Some locals bemoaned the rising number of kidnapping and banditry episodes in the area, emphasizing the necessity for immediate action to stop future security breaches.
However, at the time this news was filed, security agencies had not yet issued an official comment about the occurrence.
As authorities step up efforts to handle the security issue, locals have been asked to maintain composure and alertness.
