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At least three vigilantes lost their lives on Monday following a violent clash between local security volunteers, hunters, and heavily armed kidnappers in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Reports confirmed that the tragic incident unfolded along Patigi Road near Gbugbu town in Gada Woro community when bandits brazenly challenged the vigilantes to confront them. In response, the vigilantes, supported by soldiers and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle but were ultimately forced to withdraw due to the criminals’ superior firepower.

The confrontation left three vigilantes dead—identified as Mohammed Nma Dsuru from Kokodo village, Yanda Doctor from Lafiagi, and Ndagi Saraka from Edogi. One vigilante remains unaccounted for, while several security personnel sustained injuries.

The attack has sparked deep anxiety among residents of Lafiagi, Kokodo, Gada Woro, and Gbugbu, with many urging security agencies to intensify operations to prevent further bloodshed. Fear has also gripped economic activities as the Gbugbu International Market, a major commercial centre, has been shut down indefinitely to safeguard traders and customers.

Speaking anonymously, a local leader disclosed that community representatives have met with Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who pledged to deploy about 100 soldiers from Sobi Cantonment in Ilorin to secure the troubled area. Reinforcements are also being mobilised from neighbouring Niger State, alongside reported appeals to supernatural forces for protection.

Meanwhile, in Patigi Local Government Area, local hunters and vigilantes have embarked on a determined manhunt in nearby forests to flush out the bandits. This follows another brazen attack early Tuesday when gunmen stormed a community, firing shots to scare residents while allegedly targeting prominent individuals for abduction.

The surge in bandit activities has plunged Kwara into heightened insecurity. Just hours after previous violent incidents—including the burning of the NDLEA office and the Emir’s palace in Lafiagi—the state Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, paid a visit to the area.

Efforts to reach the Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, for official comments were unsuccessful as of Wednesday.