At least 10 people, including the village head of Ógba Ayo, were brutally killed on Sunday morning when suspected bandits launched a deadly assault on Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Eyewitnesses said the armed men stormed the community in large numbers, shooting indiscriminately and spreading panic among residents. Several people were maimed, while an unspecified number of villagers were abducted during the raid.
A local vigilante member, Ajetunmobi, who narrowly escaped the attack, accused security agencies of negligence despite early warnings. 
“We had been hearing since Saturday night that the bandits were around the community, and we sent messages to security operatives to be prepared. To our surprise, this morning the attackers started from the duty post, targeting vigilantes. Government only engages in propaganda; they did not repel the attackers as claimed,” he told Sobi FM.
Among the casualties were community members identified as Oji, Saheed Metubi, and Baale Ógba Ayo, the traditional leader of the village. Their bodies, along with others, were taken to the local police station, while the injured were rushed to the General Hospital in Share for treatment.
The attack has left the community in mourning, with many families still searching for missing relatives. Residents fear that the abducted may be subjected to ransom demands or worse.
Alhaji Ganiyu Ajala, National President of the Oke-Ode Community Development Association, condemned the killings and urged the government to intensify security efforts across the state.
“While commending the government on the various security measures already put in place, we call for a redoubling of efforts towards completely routing these undesirable elements from the Oke-Ode axis and the entire state in general,” Ajala said.
The latest assault adds to the rising wave of violent crimes in Kwara and neighboring states, where rural communities remain vulnerable to bandit attacks, kidnappings, and killings. Security experts have warned that without sustained intelligence gathering and rapid response strategies, such attacks could spread further, deepening fear and instability in the region.
