Ilorin, Kwara State | Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Three suspected bandits were killed while nine kidnapped victims were rescued during a coordinated security operation involving operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Kwara State Forest Guards, local hunters and vigilantes in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The operation, which took place on Wednesday evening, was launched after security operatives received intelligence that armed kidnappers were moving abducted victims through the forests linking Kwara, Ekiti and Niger states. During the encounter, the security team engaged the criminals in a fierce gun battle, killing three of the suspected bandits while others escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds.
According to local authorities, the operation was carried out in the Obbo-Aiyegunle, Ejiu-Ora and Osi axis of Ekiti Local Government Area. The nine victims had reportedly been abducted from Eju community after the local market and were being marched through the forest before security operatives intercepted the kidnappers and secured their release. One of the rescued victims sustained injuries and is receiving medical treatment.
A rescued victim, Umaru Muazu, recounted that the kidnappers struck at about 4:57 p.m., ambushing travellers, pointing guns at them and forcing them into the forest before security forces arrived and overpowered the attackers.
The operation is part of ongoing efforts by the Kwara State Government to combat kidnapping and banditry through joint security operations involving the DSS, Forest Guards and community-based security outfits. Authorities also disclosed that bush-combing operations and surveillance have been intensified across Kwara South and border communities to prevent further attacks.
Security agencies have urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing credible intelligence, assuring the public that efforts are underway to apprehend the fleeing suspects and sustain peace across the state.