Armed bandits killed two and kidnapped the village head of Rani in Kwara’s Patigi LGA, sparking fear among residents.
ILORIN — Suspected bandits on Sunday night killed two people and abducted two others, including the village head of Rani in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Residents said the attackers stormed the village around 7 p.m. while worshippers were preparing for Maghrib prayers.
Witnesses reported that the gunmen shot sporadically to instill fear before carrying out the assault. “They came in the evening at about 7 p.m., they met us at the mosque while we were getting ready for maghrib prayer,” a resident told journalists, adding that fear has gripped the community since the incident.
Sources said the abductors have yet to contact the families of the victims, heightening anxiety in the village. “We cannot sleep with our two eyes talkless of going to our farms… We are appealing to both the federal and state governments to deploy more troops,” another resident pleaded.
Confirming the attack, a senior officer at the Patigi Divisional Police Office said the case had been reported to the Kwara State Police Command for further action.
The incident comes weeks after bandits killed Rev. James Audu Issa, a pastor with ECWA Church in Ekati village, Patigi LGA, despite collecting ransom from his family.