Date: 2018-01-25

Suspected gunmen have attacked some villages in Kaiama local government area of Kwara killing four members of the local vigilante group and injured several others.

The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar on Wednesday said that the gunmen mounted a camp in the National Park to move from one community to another to terrorize the residents.

The National Park covers about 50 kilometre of land between Kaiama local council in Kwara and Borgu local government area of Niger state.

Abubakar explained that the hoodlums enter the villages robbing the residents of their belongings particularly foodstuff, cows and goats and then return to the camp to survive on it.

According to him, when the complaint of the attack was becoming too much, the council decided to deploy its members of the local vigilante to place surveillance on the place.

"Unfortunately, when the vigilante approached them in their camp, they exchanged fire to the extent that they killed one of the vigilante men and three others are missing.

"We don't know their whereabouts and for now and nobody can go into the bush and start searching for the dead body", he said. The council boss stated that the armed hoodlum were fond of blocking the roads at night to dispossess people of their money.

"One of our vigilante men is confirmed dead. While three others are missing, several other vigilante men were injured", the council chief said.

The villages attacked by the gunmen according to him, were Tunga Maje, Nukku and Woro among others.

He, however, noted that the state government has taken charge and that about 50 soldiers have been deployed from the 222 battalion to comb the bush. DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara Police Command confirmed the development.

He said that the state command had deployed mobile police men into the area and the Commissioner of Police had ordered an investigation into the issue. He also confirmed the death of a member of the local vigilante group and three others missing.