Tension has enveloped Ndanaku community in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State as residents flee their homes following relentless bandit attacks and the abduction of three villagers.
The once-thriving settlement now lies in ruins, with shops, homes, and farmlands deserted after weeks of coordinated raids that have left villagers living in fear.
According to a distress video shared by Nupekotv, the kidnappers are demanding a staggering ₦100 million ransom for the release of their captives, while residents say their livelihoods have been wiped out by continuous attacks.
In a petition to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, community leaders lamented that Ndanaku had “become a den of bandits of Fulani extraction for over two weeks,” adding that abductions, killings, and destruction of farmlands had forced the people into mass displacement.
The letter, signed by Gideon Zhiri, Chairman of the Ndanaku Elites Association, described how bandits had shifted from kidnapping to looting, rustling livestock, and vandalising property since most villagers had already fled.
“Our repeated appeals to the Patigi Local Government Chairman, Hon. Ahmed Rufai, for military intervention have yielded nothing,” the petition read, noting that soldiers stationed at the council headquarters were “willing to act if given official directive.”
The residents pleaded for urgent government action to enable them to return home without fear of further attacks.
The humanitarian situation worsened last week after a resident of nearby Esun Tauheed in the Lafiagi Emirate, Abdullahi Tsowa, was abducted and later killed by bandits. Tsowa, who had tried to hide in his ceiling during the invasion, was overpowered and captured. Two of his friends escaped with injuries.
The killing has deepened fears across Kwara North, where neighbouring villages such as Lataworo and Gbugbu have also suffered repeated attacks in recent months.
Security analysts say the crisis underscores the worsening insecurity in rural Kwara, with displaced villagers now depending on relatives and neighbouring communities for survival.
Community leaders warned that unless urgent steps are taken, more villages in the region risk being completely deserted.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
