Less Than 24 Hours After Fresh Attack, Bandits Strike Again in Patigi LGA Despite Community Calls, Govt Promises on Military Deployment

 

Less than 24 hours after the latest attack, bandits have struck again in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, NupekoTV reports, further raising concerns over the safety of residents despite repeated calls by communities and promises by the government to deploy military personnel.

The latest incident occurred around 9pm when a commercial bikeman travelling from Lata Nna with a passenger was reportedly intercepted by the attackers. The motorcycle rider escaped from the scene, while the unidentified passenger, who was said not to be a resident of the community, was taken into captivity.

Speaking on NupekoTV’s online interactive session on Sunday evening, community youths, women and other members said they had continued to make efforts and provide necessary information to the government concerning those already in captivity but felt they were being left to their fate.

The community members also debunked any suggestion of previous links between the community and terrorists, stressing that residents have suffered significant losses that they may never recover from. They said the people largely depend on farming for their livelihood but are now unable to access their farmlands due to insecurity.

According to the residents, they have consistently provided relevant information to government authorities and security agencies about activities of the bandits. They, however, expressed frustration that there had been instances where suspected bandit kingpins who were arrested were later released, raising questions about the effectiveness of efforts to tackle the insecurity.

They also expressed frustration over repeated government promises to deploy military personnel, describing the situation as “promise upon promise” while the community remains exposed to further attacks.

The fresh attack comes amid concerns that residents remain vulnerable despite repeated appeals for proper security presence in the community.