Kwara’s Omugo Community Deserted Amid Relentless Bandit Attacks

Indigenes of Omugo community, Oro-Ago district in the Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State on Thursday raised the alarm that the community is now deserted as a result of incessant attacks by bandits.

The representatives of the community, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin, the state capital appealed for rescue of eight church worshippers abducted on March 22, 2026 and total security intervention in Omugo community.

The coordinator and secretary of the Concerned Citizens of Omugo, Balogun Johnson and Prince Adeniyi Olasunkanmi,said that the March 22 abduction was the third time in six months that “the shadow of terror has fallen upon our land.

“Reports from contacts with the abductors indicate that an initial ransom demand of ₦1 billion was made and later reduced to ₦150 million—an amount far beyond the financial capacity of the victims’ families and the community,” they said.

According to them, the current situation in Omugo community demands urgent and coordinated intervention.

“The circumstances surrounding the abduction of these worshippers call for swift, decisive, and sustained security action that restores safety, confidence, and dignity to the people of the community.

“We call for immediate rescue operation.
We urge the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Kwara State Government, Ifelodun Local Government, and all relevant security agencies to launch a coordinated, intelligence-driven rescue operation to secure the safe and unconditional release of the abducted worshippers. The lives of these innocent citizens must be treated as a matter of urgent national priority,” they said.

They stated that the community previously constructed a police station to enhance security, lamenting that the facility remains unoccupied and non-operational.

“We, therefore, call for the immediate deployment of police personnel, equipment, and logistics to activate the station and ensure a permanent security presence.

“Given the recurring attacks on the community, we strongly recommend the establishment of a permanent Joint Task Force (JTF) base in Omugo,” they added.