Gunmen Attack Kwara Village Close to Woro, Steal Goods

Late Saturday night, armed assailants on motorcycles invaded Gada Oli, a village situated near Wawa and just a few kilometers from Woro in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. Residents reported that the intruders fired shots into the air while looting electronic shops.

Initial reports from SaharaReporters indicated that the attackers created a scene of chaos as they stormed into the community, prompting many residents to flee in fear.

"They arrived on motorbikes and began firing into the air to frighten the villagers," one resident recounted to the publication. "Once the people scattered, they broke into phone stores and stole various items."

According to community members who chose to remain unnamed to protect themselves, although the thieves broke into several shops and took away goods, there were no reported casualties.

This latest raid occurs shortly after coordinated assaults on the nearby Woro and Nuku communities on February 3 that resulted in over 100 fatalities, marking one of the most severe attacks in recent times within the state.

Following the attacks, humanitarian agencies and local authorities confirmed that mass burials were conducted, with survivors detailing how gunmen surrounded the area and opened fire.

Previously, it was reported that the federal government initiated Operation Savannah Shield, a collaborative military effort involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force, aimed at stabilizing Kwara North and adjacent regions in Niger State.

The military operation, centered at the Sobi Military Cantonment in Ilorin, has been described by the Chief of Defence Staff as an ongoing offensive aimed at dismantling terrorist networks that utilize the forested corridors, including regions around the Kainji Lake National Park.

Despite these security measures, residents claim that fear remains palpable, as assaults and threats continue unabated.

In areas such as Edu and Patigi, anxiety over potential violence has heavily impacted daily life, disrupting even religious practices during Ramadan.

Sources reveal that Muslim congregations in villages including Gbugbu, Kpanpkanragi, Motokun, and Agboro have either reduced or ceased their night prayers due to heightened security concerns and restrictions on movement.

A Gbugbu resident observed, "In the past, our mosques would be filled every night during Ramadan. However, fear has led many to stay away."

In response to ongoing threats following the mass killings in February, authorities in Kaiama Local Government instituted a curfew beginning at 9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m.

Analysts point to cross-border movements of armed factions and the use of dense forest areas as factors enabling these recurring attacks.

Efforts to gather official comments were unsuccessful, with calls to Kwara State Police's Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, going unanswered at the time of this report.

Local residents in Kaiama and the surrounding communities continue to express anxiety, emphasizing that although military presence has been ramped up, genuine fears persist, with many demanding a consistent and permanent security presence instead of temporary measures.