Banditry: ‘95% of residents have fled,’ Kwara community appeals to Tinubu

Residents of Lata Nna in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the worsening insecurity in their community, saying about 95 per cent of the population has fled following sustained attacks by armed bandits.

The appeal was contained in an open letter addressed to the President and signed by the Secretary of the Lata Nna Youth Association, Tauheed Desco, on behalf of the community.

The residents said repeated attacks over the past two years had claimed lives, displaced families, disrupted farming and turned the community’s only access road into what they described as a “death trap.”

“With a heavy heart and a deep sense of urgency, we write on behalf of the good people of Lata Nna community to cry out for help. We are under siege. Our lives, our livelihood and our very existence are being threatened daily by armed bandits. Only your intervention can save us,” the letter read.

According to the community, residents have endured kidnappings, armed robberies, extortion and invasions of farmlands, while recent attacks have worsened the security situation.

The letter recalled that in August 2025, about 65 local hunters were reportedly killed during a clash with armed bandits in a nearby forest. The community claimed only 40 bodies were recovered, while the remaining victims were allegedly taken away by the attackers.

The residents also listed a series of attacks this year, including the killing of a farmer, Allassan Ndaba, on April 15 while travelling to his farm.

They further alleged that on June 13, four armed bandits riding motorcycles invaded the community in broad daylight in search of petrol, recharge cards and other supplies, while on June 26, gunmen blocked the only road linking the village to neighbouring communities, trapping residents and cutting off access to markets and healthcare.

According to the letter, two residents were killed after encountering the gunmen at the roadblock, while villagers were robbed at gunpoint the following day.

The community said another attack occurred on July 10 when armed men looted homes, shops, cash, food items and mobile phones before carting away four motorcycles valued at about ₦1.6 million each.

Five days later, a Point-of-Sale operator was reportedly robbed shortly after withdrawing cash from a bank.

“We can no longer go to our farms. We can no longer go to the market. We can no longer sleep with our eyes closed. Our only road is a death trap. Our community is bleeding,” the residents said.

They urged the Federal Government to deploy security personnel to the area, secure the access road and launch sustained military operations against bandits operating in surrounding forests.

The community also appealed for support for families who lost loved ones during the attacks.

Meanwhile, the Village Head of Lata Nna, Alhaji Mohammed Lata, said the latest wave of violence had forced almost the entire community to flee.

“The latest attacks have caused massive displacement. About 95 per cent of our people have abandoned their homes. Many now sleep in neighbouring communities and in the bush because they are afraid of returning home,” he said in a video obtained by journalists.

He also lamented the lack of mobile telecommunications, a permanent security presence and a functional healthcare facility, saying the situation had made it difficult for residents to seek help during attacks.

Women in the community also recounted how insecurity had destroyed livelihoods and separated families, with some saying they no longer spent nights in their homes for fear of fresh attacks.

The Chief Imam of the community joined calls for urgent intervention, warning that continued inaction could expose the remaining residents to further attacks.

The residents urged the Federal Government and the Kwara State Government to establish a permanent security post, improve telecommunications services, provide healthcare facilities and support displaced families.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Kwara State Government were unsuccessful, as the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, did not respond to calls or text messages as of the time of filing this report.