Gunmen Raid Kwara Community, Raze Down Houses

Gunmen on Sunday reportedly attacked Karongi community in Baruten local government area of Kwara State.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the gunmen killed one person and burned many houses in the community during the invasion.

It was gathered that the bandits took advantage of the local vigilante’s absence from the community. The vigilante had travelled to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir outside the community.

Sources, however, said that the gunmen were later dislodged by the combined team of soldiers and vigilantes from the adjoining communities in the area.

The emir of Yashikira Emirate in Baruten local government, Alhaji Umoru Sariki confirmed the incident.

The emir said that one person was killed during the attack while the bandits burned many houses.

Umoru said, “Yes, the bandits struck at about 6am on Sunday morning. They attacked Karongi town in my Emirate. They killed one person and burned many houses in the community.

“They took advantage of the absence of vigilante men who had travelled for Sallah, while some had also gone for training. They invaded the town for hours, from 6am to 11am. We have to go to the surrounding communities in the Emirate to mobilise local vigilantes who succeeded in chasing them away at about 11 o’clock.”

Umoru appealed to the federal government and the military to establish a military base in Karongi or other community near the area to safeguard the lives and properties of Nigerians living in the area.

The public relations officer of the 22 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Sobi, Ilorin, Lt. Stephen Nwankwo also confirmed the attack on Karongi community.

He said, “Yes, the incident happened. I’m aware that one of the vigilante men was killed while some make-shift houses were set ablaze by the gunmen. The soldiers were alerted about the incident and they went to the village. The person that was killed was one of the vigilante men who escorted the soldiers to the village.

The bandits ran away on sighting the soldiers and escaped from the area.”