At least six persons have been reportedly killed on Monday evening by a group of gunmen suspected to be terrorists at Ilesha Baruba in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.
It was gathered that the gunmen were armed and all dressed in the Nigerian military camouflage when the conducted the deadly attack after Isha’I prayer on Monday.
An eyewitnesses, who was privy to the incidents stated that the gunmen invaded the town through the highway that links the town to the state capital on motorcycles with several sophisticated weapons.
They were all dressed in what appeared to be Nigerian Army uniforms, which triggered fears of impersonation and raising critical questions about the source of their gear.
In a video that made the rounds on social media , the lifeless bodies of the victims were seen lying in pools of their own blood, as wailing filled the background.
The footage was said to be captured during the aftermath of what residents described as a “terror operation.”
One of the eyewitnesses, who identified himself as Umar Faruq, who narrowly escaped the attack, to newsmen that the gunmen appeared organised and deliberate in their mission.
“They came in soldier uniforms. At first, we thought they were here for security patrol, but within minutes, they opened fire on innocent people. It was like a war scene. People were screaming, running for their lives,” he recounted.
The traditional titleholder of the area, Turaki of Ilesha Baruba, who also confirmed the incident, condemned the killings and described the attack as a direct assault on the peace and sovereignty of the community.
“This is not just an attack on individuals. It’s a message to us all that we are not safe. Our people are living in fear now. We call on the government to act fast,” he said.
This fresh bloodshed has further exposed the fragile state of security in Kwara North and revived calls for serious overhauls in intelligence gathering and community protection.
The use of military uniforms by the attackers has also raised suspicions of insider collusion or dangerous black-market access to security gear.
All efforts made by reporters to speak with on the incident proved abortive as the Kwara State Police Command spokesman wasn’t available as at the time of filing the report.
