Presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, on Tuesday, expressed sorrow over the recent attacks in Oke-Ode, Kwara State, where armed bandits had killed many people, including vigilantes and the Baale of Ogbayo.

In a statement on X, Obi described the development as a “mindless act of violence” that had thrown the country into mourning. He emphasized the urgent need for a national security emergency, stating that no Nigerian should live in fear in their own home.

He condemned the normalization of tragedy and offered his condolences to the governor and people of Kwara State, as well as the grieving families.

Obi stated, “We cannot continue to normalize tragedy. My heart goes out to the governor and the people of Kwara State. I reassure you that you are not alone.”

Obi prayed for the souls of the departed to rest in perfect peace and for their families to find strength and comfort in their time of grief.

No fewer than 12 persons, including the Baale of Ogbayo, were killed during Sunday morning’s gunmen attack on Oke-Ode community, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said operatives of the command and personnel of the National Forest Security Service swiftly responded to distress calls, but 12 vigilante members were already found dead.

The statement added that four injured victims were taken to the hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were evacuated.

Residents of the ancient town of Oke-Ode started to leave the community en masse due to bandits’ attacks.

A video clip being circulated in Ilorin, the state capital, showed the mass movement of residents of Oke-Ode community out of the town to safer places in the state.

It was gathered that the residents were being conveyed in series of taxi cabs and loaded with their bags and baggage out of the community for fear of further attacks on the town.

Some of the residents, who spoke in local language, expressed concerns over the mass killing of the people in Oke-Ode community.

They said, “We are so worried that just a day the security agencies allegedly withdrew the guns from the local vigilantes, the suspected bandits invaded our town and killed many people.

“We are in serious tension and pains and no one can sleep with two eyes closed in Oke-Ode community and before they kill all of us again, it is better to move out of the town for a while to safer places in the state.

“We are calling on the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to rise up to our security as the people of Oke-Ode community need urgent action so as to return peace to our town.” (AriseNews TV, bit headline rejigged)