Gunmen Invade Alalubosa Community In Kwara, One Kill, 3 Injured In Foiled Kidnapping Attempt

Ilorin, Kwara State–  Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Tuesday night attacked the Alalubosa Community in the Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing one while three others sustained injuries.

Our Afrika Eyes correspondent on the scene gathered that the attack occurred around 10 PM, shrouding the community in fear and chaos, one of the victims, identified as Abdul Rasheed, lost his life in the tragic incident.

Abdullah Isiak, one of the survivors, recounted the horrifying experience. He stated that he was in the company of his father and sibling when the Fulani herdsmen arrived brandishing AK-47 rifles, the attackers indiscriminately fired shots, causing terror among the residents.

Fire Bullet

Isiak further explained that four persons who were outside during the attack were struck by bullets, with one person succumbing to the bullet on the spot, while the other three injured victims were promptly rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Isiak’s own account of the event revealed his miraculous escape from harm.

“Immediately I heard the sound of gunfire while I was with my father, I came out to see what happened. They chased me, and I was hit by a stray bullet, but I managed to escape. I ran to my brother’s house to explain the situation, and he promptly alerted the police in Alapa at 10 PM, but they kept us waiting, so he called the local vigilantes who responded swiftly and confronted the kidnappers.”

Abdullah Isiak

During the ensuing gunfight, one of the attackers was killed at the hands of the courageous local vigilantes, who displayed remarkable bravery despite their limited resources and mobility.

Isiak expressed frustration with the delayed response of the police, saying, “The police arrived this morning at 10 AM, a significant delay since our initial call yesterday, my mother was kidnapped, but the vigilantes were able to rescue her. Police are not reliable anymore; they were informed about the incident but failed to act promptly. If not for the vigilantes’ quick response, the outcome could have been much worse.”

He urged both the state and federal governments to provide the local vigilantes with the necessary equipment, including ammunition and vehicles, to enhance their effectiveness in safeguarding communities.

Yusuf Garba, the head of the local vigilantes in Asa’s Ogundeji Zone, said, “Around 10 AM, we were at our office in Oko-olowo when we received a distress call from Alalubosa, reporting a kidnapping. Although we lacked mobility, we managed to reach Aiyelaba-owo, where we secured a motorcycle to transport us to Alalubosa.”

Mr Garba further explained how his team arrived at the community and, upon the kidnappers’ realization of their presence, a confrontation ensued, leading to the apprehension of one assailant.

“While pursuing the kidnappers, we received information that they had abducted an elderly woman. We immediately deployed ourselves and managed to rescue her.”

One of the Kidnapper

He, however, appealed to the state government for support, requesting essential equipment such as ammunition, bikes, walkie-talkies, and regular financial assistance to facilitate their operations.

Confirming the incident, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, said a team of police officers had been dispatched to the scene.

The image maker disclosed that the police received the kidnapping report around 1 AM on Wednesday and promptly initiated a response. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining perpetrators, he said.