Bandits Attack Kwara Community, Kill 4 Soldiers

Suspected bandits have  killed four soldiers  during an attack on Kemanji community in Kaiama local government area of Kwara State.

The incident occurred in the early hours of yesterday.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the bandits who invaded the community at about 3am yesterday met stiff resistance from the security men and local vigilantes who engaged them in a gun duel that lasted three hours.

Sources said that it was during the exchange of gunshots that four of the soldiers and some civilians were fatally shot.

The  sources added that the bandits also launched an explosive device at a military camp in Kemanji before advancing further into the community.

The  attack on Kemanji occurrred barely two weeks after suspected bandits attacked the camp of Mobile Police Force (MPF) in Nuku village in the same Kaiama local government area, killing five members of the National Forest Guard.

The details of the casualty figure remains sketchy as at the time of filing this report, as neither security agencies nor local sources could confirm the number of persons killed during the attack.

“It’s very pathetic and disheartening. The entire community is in a state of panic, and many villagers have fled. No one can yet predict the number of victims involved.”, local source said.

The  state Police Command was  yet to issue official statement on the incident as an inquiry directed to its spokesperson,  Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi,  on the Police/ Journalists platform was yet to be responded to as at the time of filing this report.

The village head of Kemanji, Alh Sanni Zikki, however, confirmed the attack on his community.

“The bandits came from the Kainji National Park and attacked our security men. We lost three soldiers. Some others were injured.

“There were heavy gunshots everywhere. It was intense, but the security men tried,” he said.

The monarch dismissed claims that the attackers had issued prior threats to the community, insisting there were no civilian casualties.

“There was no casualty among residents,” he said.