Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A fresh wave of terror swept through the agrarian community of Eruku in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State on Saturday, May 2, 2026, when heavily armed bandits abducted a local mechanic and another resident from a cassava farm in the area. The mechanic, popularly known as “Korope”, was seized along with a yet‑to‑be‑identified second victim in an attack that has heightened anxiety in a region already scarred by repeated abductions. A local source who confirmed the incident to our correspondent said the gunmen operated swiftly, confining their target to the farm before fleeing with the victims into the surrounding forest toward the boundary with Egbe in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The raid occurred in the afternoon, a departure from the night‑time assaults that have typically plagued the remote farming settlements of Kwara South. The cassava farm where the kidnapping took place lies in a vulnerable stretch of land that shares a porous border with Kogi State, an axis that has become a favoured escape route for criminal gangs. The choice of a mechanic as a target has sparked concern that the syndicate may be diversifying its victim profile, moving beyond the usual targeting of farmers, traders and worshippers.
Eruku has become a repeated flashpoint in the widening security crisis of Nigeria’s North‑Central region. The town sits at a strategic junction where Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states meet, and the Eruku‑Egbe and Osi‑Eruku roads have acquired notoriety as bandit highways. According to a community source who spoke to our correspondent, the kidnappers this time did not fire any shots, relying instead on stealth and the cover of thick vegetation. The victims were reportedly working on the farm when the assailants emerged from the bush, rounded them up and marched them away toward the border. The source said the abductors did not immediately contact the families to demand ransom, a common tactic that often increases the anguish of relatives.
The attack comes despite repeated pledges by security agencies to clear the forests that straddle the Kwara‑Kogi border. In April 2026, troops of Operation Fasan Yamma and Sector 3 of the Nigerian Army rescued 21 kidnapped victims in a major counter‑banditry sweep across Kwara and Kogi states. But residents say the operations have not translated into lasting security. “The soldiers come, raid the bushes, arrest a few suspects and leave. The bandits return days later,” a community leader in Eruku told our reporter, asking that his name be withheld for security reasons. “We have buried too many people. We have paid too many ransoms. And now, even a mechanic cannot work on his farm without being taken.”
The Eruku‑Egbe corridor has been a hotbed of banditry for more than two years. In November 2025, gunmen stormed the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku during a live‑streamed service, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others. That incident drew a presidential intervention, and all the victims were eventually released. However, smaller abductions have continued unabated. In March 2026, terrorists abducted a man identified as Gbenga Akolo along the Egbe‑Koro road, and two commuters remained in captivity for eight days after being seized on the Eruku‑Egbe route. The latest abduction marks a return of the terror to the farming heartland.
The Kwara State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the May 2 abduction at the time of this report. Calls to the command’s spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire‑Adeyemi, were not returned, and no confirmation was available on whether the police had launched a search operation. The absence of an official update has left families in anguish, with neighbours gathering in small clusters to discuss the unfolding crisis. A youth leader in Eruku, who identified himself as Rotimi, told our correspondent: “The government has been talking for too long. We need boots on the ground, not just press releases. Our people are being taken in broad daylight.”
The repeated attacks have fractured the social fabric of Eruku and adjoining villages. Schools have seen declining enrollment as parents fear for their children’s safety on the roads. Markets close early, and farming, the mainstay of the local economy, has become a high‑risk activity. Many residents have relocated to nearby towns such as Omu‑Aran and Osi, while those who remain sleep in shifts, keeping watch with machetes and hunting rifles. The abduction of the two men from a cassava farm underscores the pervasive fear: nowhere, not even a field during daylight, is considered safe.
The mechanic, “Korope”, was a well‑known figure in the community, running a small repair shop that served motorbikes, tractors and occasional cars. His absence has left a visible gap in the daily life of Eruku. “He is the only mechanic we trust,” a neighbour said. “He fixed our vehicles at low cost, never cheated anyone. Now he is gone, and we don’t know if we will ever see him again.” The second victim, whose identity has not been disclosed amid efforts to secure his release, is also a long‑time resident of the area.
As of Saturday evening, no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction, and no ransom demand had been communicated. The silence is often the most agonising part of the ordeal for families, who are left to imagine the conditions in which their loved ones are held. Bandits operating in the region typically demand ransoms of between N1 million and N10 million, and families are frequently forced to sell land, livestock or other assets to raise the money. In many cases, the victims are released after weeks of captivity, but some never return.
The abduction of the two men has also drawn attention to the role of local informants. A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the bandits appeared to have “good knowledge” of the farm’s location and the movements of those who worked there. “This is not random,” the source said. “They knew exactly where to strike and who to take. There are people inside the community who are feeding them information, and until we deal with that, the attacks will continue.”
The Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has previously condemned the insecurity in the state’s southern senatorial district and has met with security chiefs to review the situation. The government has also embarked on the construction of police posts and the rehabilitation of rural roads to improve access for patrol teams. But residents insist that the pace of implementation has been too slow. “We need a permanent military presence, not promises,” a community elder said.
As the sun set over Eruku, the families of the two abducted men waited by their phones, praying for a call that would confirm their loved ones are alive. The community, meanwhile, braced for another night of fear. The bandits have come, taken, and left. And until the government finds a way to secure the border corridors, they will doubtless return.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments