Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a vigilante commander in Kakafu village, Lade District, Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State. The victim, identified as Tetengi, was shot dead around 10pm on Wednesday when the attackers invaded the community in large numbers and opened fire indiscriminately.
According to residents, Tetengi was killed while confronting the attackers during the invasion, which threw the community into panic. Some locals are believed to have been abducted, although the exact number of kidnapped victims has not been confirmed. A source lamented the lack of security reinforcements during the incident and called on the government to take stronger measures against the rising wave of banditry in the area. The source said, “We lost one of our brave local security commanders who, alongside others, confronted the bandits. We tried calling for security backup, but there was no response at the time the bandits struck. We are calling on the government to take drastic action; the incessant kidnappings and attacks are getting out of hand.”
The escalating insecurity has also forced staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Patigi and Edu Local Government Areas to abandon their duty posts and lock up offices. This move has disrupted the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise that began in August, further weakening public confidence in government assurances of safety. Security sources disclosed that INEC personnel were advised by intelligence operatives to stay away from volatile areas, warning that they risked being targeted as “soft victims” by bandits. One source noted that Lade town has been largely deserted due to repeated attacks by criminal groups.
“The INEC staff are scared. They don’t want to risk being kidnapped or attacked,” a source said. Another senior source added, “The fear is that if INEC staff are kidnapped, it would not only be a monumental national embarrassment but would also put the Tinubu administration under intense pressure and scrutiny. The INEC staff are scared of being kidnapped or attacked. They were told to seek clearance from security agencies before going to their duty posts. Hence, if anything happens to them, they are on their own.”
Residents confirmed that INEC offices in both local governments remain closed for most of the week, frustrating voter registration efforts. One staff member revealed that the INEC chairman had made it clear there would be no funds to pay ransom in the event of abductions. The staff member said, “We can’t risk our lives in the name of national service. There is no assurance of our safety. If bandits could attack a community barely two hours after the governor visited the place, then who is safe?”
