Residents Flee Kwara Community Over Repeated Terror Attacks
The Omugo community in Kwara State has become a ghost town following a series of relentless bandit attacks that have forced indigenes to abandon their homes. Representatives of the Ifelodun Local Government Area raised the alarm in Ilorin on Friday, revealing that the latest strike occurred on March 22, 2026. Gunmen abducted eight worshippers during a church service, marking the third major kidnapping incident in the district within six months. The community now sits empty as the shadow of terror renders daily life impossible for the agrarian population.
Abductors originally demanded a ransom of ₦1 billion for the release of the eight captives. This figure was later reduced to ₦150 million, an amount the community leaders described as an impossible sum for the victims’ families. Balogun Johnson and Adeniyi Olasunkanmi, representing the Concerned Citizens of Omugo, stated that the financial capacity of the village has been crushed by repeated extortion. They argued that the government must treat the rescue of these innocent citizens as a matter of urgent national priority.
Security in the area remains nonexistent despite local efforts to provide infrastructure for the police. Residents previously funded and constructed a police station to encourage a permanent security presence in the Oro-Ago district. However, the facility remains unoccupied and non-operational while marauding terrorists move freely through the abandoned streets. The delegation is now calling for the immediate deployment of personnel and logistics to activate the station before the village is lost entirely to criminals.
The community is also advocating for the establishment of a permanent Joint Task Force (JTF) base in Omugo. Leaders believe only a sustained military and police presence can provide the necessary deterrence and intelligence-gathering capabilities to secure the borders. They noted that the protection of lives is the fundamental responsibility of the state, a duty they feel has been neglected in their region. Without a rapid response unit, the surrounding bush remains a haven for kidnappers.
Kwara State, once considered a peaceful buffer between the North and South, is increasingly grappling with the spillover of banditry from neighbouring states. The desertion of Omugo highlights a worrying trend where rural communities are left to fend for themselves against well-armed militias. Swift and decisive action is required to restore the dignity of a people now living in exile within their own state. For the families of the eight worshippers, time is a luxury they no longer possess.