Suspected Fulani bandits on Thursday, allegedly killed three motorists in Rore and Aranorin communities in Irepodun Local Government of Kwara State.

The incident has thrown the residents and travellers into a state of panic as news of the killings spread.

According to a trending video, the victims’ corpses lie by the roadside with their bodies partially covered with clothes and leaves, apparently by sympathisers who arrived at the scene after the attackers had fled.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers emerged from hideouts in nearby forests.

“When they came, they opened fire on the unsuspecting motorists just like a coordinated ambush,” an eyewitness said.

No one is sure whether the attackers also abducted any victims during the assault, as details were still emerging as of Friday morning.

The attack is the latest in a growing wave of violence that has gripped Kwara State’s Ifelodun and Irepodun local government areas in recent months.

Communities such as Babanla, Shegbe, Ologomo, Alabe, and Oreke in Ifelodun Local Government have recently experienced repeated attacks, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their ancestral homes.

Many victims have been kidnapped for ransom, while others have been killed in similar raids.

Residents expressed fears that the violence could escalate further unless urgent security measures are taken.

Some community leaders have urged both the state and federal governments to deploy more security personnel to the areas, noting that many villages have been left vulnerable as attacks continue unabated.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Police Command had yet to release an official statement on the incident.

However, sources indicate that security operatives have been mobilized to the area to prevent further violence and reassure residents. (The Guardian)