The Nigerian Army has ordered the relocation of the commander of its 2 Division from Ibadan to Kwara State to strengthen security operations after suspected bandits killed at least five people early on Sunday, officials said.
The directive followed an attack in Oke, Ifelodun Local Government Area, where bandits killed forest guards and local hunters, according to a statement by Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
Local vigilante members repelled the assailants and killed an unspecified number of them, residents said.
In a condolence message, Governor Abdulrazaq urged calm and warned against reprisal violence. “We will forever be grateful to all of them as our heroes,” he said, while calling for increased military deployments in Kwara South and North districts.
He described the slain guards and hunters as patriots who resisted the attackers “out of love for their communities.”
The governor noted that more reinforcements were still needed despite recent investments in forest guard training and security operations.
“While we appreciate the efforts and sacrifices of the security forces as well as the successes so far, we definitely need to do a lot more until we are completely out of the woods,” Abdulrazaq said.