Police take control of deserted Kwara community after ongoing bandit attacks

Residents of Owa‑Onire, a tourist hub in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, have abandoned their homes after repeated attacks by armed bandits.

A viral video shows the village now occupied by animals, as the inhabitants fled to safer areas to protect their lives.

The Nigeria Police have taken control of the Kwara South Senatorial District and the affected community in an effort to restore security.

According to DAILY POST, Zubair Olaitan, Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Security Network, led police operatives to several deserted communities for an assessment of the volatile security situation in the district, during which the video was recorded.

Olaitan praised the efforts of security forces along the Kwara–Kogi borders but urged greater support from local residents to provide a safe haven for displaced people.

DAILY POST reports that communities in both Kwara South and North Senatorial Districts remain hotspots for bandit activity, despite ongoing security operations aimed at clearing the area.

More than 170 captives, mostly children and women from the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, remain in bandit captivity. Others abducted during a church service in Omugo, Ifelodun Local Government Area, are still unaccounted for, with some reports indicating that a few have died.