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The Kwara State Police Command has begun an investigation into two incidents which occurred on Sunday, April 21, 2025, in Baruten and Kaiama Local Government Areas of the state where suspected bandits murdered seven persons – six in Ilesha Baruba and one vigilante during forest patrol in Kemanji.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kwara, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi said that at about 2130hrs 9:30p.m suspected armed men, numbering 10, stormed the Ilesha Baruba Motor Park and opened fire indiscriminately at civilians gathered at a nearby relaxation spot.
The police have also arrested a suspected informant linked to bandits’ network, just as tactical efforts have been intensified across the affected regions.
Six person, identified as Alhaji Ja’awire, AbdulJabar, Mohammed Nasamu, and three others, lost their lives, while two others sustained serious gunshot injuries.
The deceased have been deposited at the Ilesha Baruba Morgue for autopsy, while the injured are receiving treatment.
The statement explains that relatedly, another incident had occurred earlier on the same day at about 11:30am, whereby a Kemanji-based vigilante group on routine foot patrol encountered suspected bandits within the Kainji National Park area.
“In the course of a gun duel, three of the suspected bandits suffered fatal gunshot wounds, while a member of the vigilante, Yusuf Samba, who was shot, later succumbed to the injury.
It said investigation culminated in the arrest of an informant, who admitted to collaborating with a group of bandits.
This individual has proven to be a valuable asset in advancing the investigation.
The spokesperson said that the Command has assured the residents of both communities that full security architecture has been activated, including tactical teams, intensified surveillance, and intelligence-led operations.
Citizens are urged to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and made clear that anyone aiding or abetting crime in any part of the state will face the full weight of the law.
By Abubakar Umar
