Unidentified gunmen, suspected to be terrorists, have killed at least five people within the past 24 hours in separate attacks across Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, sparking panic among residents.
According to a report by Hobnob News Nigeria, the first incident occurred on Wednesday evening around 8 p.m. in a hamlet near the Karonzi community, where two Fulani individuals were reportedly slaughtered by the armed assailants.
A local resident who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the attack and said it had forced several villagers to flee the area in search of safety. “It was brutal. The two victims were killed in cold blood, and now the whole area is in fear. Many people have already left for nearby communities,” the resident said.
In a second, unrelated incident on Thursday around 4 p.m., a group of about twelve armed men emerged from the bush and ambushed a commercial motorcycle carrying three passengers in another village within the same local government area. All three passengers were reportedly killed on the spot.
“These gunmen appeared suddenly from the forest. They blocked the road and opened fire on the motorcycle without warning. No one survived,” said the source, who described the current situation in Baruten as “tense and terrifying.”
The latest killings have heightened fear and anxiety among residents, with reports that many are now afraid to leave their homes due to the rising threat of violence, killings, and abductions.
Efforts to reach the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer were unsuccessful, as multiple calls placed to his phone went unanswered at the time of filing this report.
As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and security agencies have yet to issue an official statement.
Residents are calling on the state and federal governments to urgently deploy security forces to the area to restore peace and prevent further bloodshed.
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