At least, 20 people have been reportedly killed after bandits unleashed terror on four communities in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The affected communities which include; Aba Alajido, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor, and Ademekun were attacked on Sunday midnight, forcing residents to flee for safety.
Sources suggested the death toll could be much higher, with one resident, who spoke to Vanguard claiming that over 40 people may have been killed, while many others remain missing.
“The attack started last Monday, but the most severe assault happened on Friday night. The bandits struck while people were asleep, opening fire indiscriminately. Many ran into the bush, while some were not so lucky,” the resident recounted.
He added, “Security forces arrived on Sunday and recovered some bodies, but many are still missing. If they search further, more corpses will likely be found in the bush.”
The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Funmi Odunlami, confirmed the attack, stating that an investigation had been launched and officers had been deployed to restore order.
“The matter was reported on Saturday that Aba Pastor community was attacked. The command immediately swung into action to ensure normalcy and to track down the perpetrators,” she said.
The Regent of Ademekun Community, Princess Adelowo Adekemisola, revealed that 14 people were killed in her community alone.
She lamented the persistent insecurity in the area, stating that the communities had been battling attacks from herdsmen for the past six years.
“This time, 14 people were killed over the weekend after they infiltrated our community and started shooting sporadically,” she said.
She called on the state government and security agencies to intervene urgently to protect the affected communities.
