Residents of Adanla community, a suburb of Igbaja in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, were thrown into panic on Friday evening following a reported invasion by suspected bandits, with no fewer than seven persons allegedly kidnapped.
The attack, which occurred around 7pm on Friday, December 26, 2025, shattered the calm of the otherwise peaceful agrarian settlement as the assailants reportedly operated unhindered for several minutes.
A community leader in Igbaja and Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Community Security Watch Network, Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, confirmed the incident on Saturday, saying the attackers stormed the community in large numbers, firing sporadically as they moved from house to house and forced residents into submission.
“At about 7:30pm, we received a report from Adanla-Irese, a suburb of Igbaja, that bandits had entered the community,” Oyin-Zubair said.
“We immediately swung into action by mobilising hunters and vigilantes from Igbaja to the area.
We also alerted the Brigade Commander of the 22 Armoured Brigade, who directed his men around the axis to respond swiftly,” he noted.
He added that soldiers later arrived in the community in two operational trucks to support local security operatives.
“Unfortunately, before their arrival, the bandits had already abducted eight persons and wounded a woman.
They were shooting indiscriminately to scare the locals,” he said.
Residents told The PUNCH that several people sustained injuries while attempting to flee, while many families abandoned their homes for nearby bushes and neighbouring communities in search of safety.
As of Saturday morning, efforts to obtain official confirmation from the police were still ongoing.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said she was yet to receive a detailed briefing on the incident.
“I am yet to be properly briefed about the incident.
“I got the information last night too, but as soon as I have details, I will get back to you,” she said.