Gunmen suspected to be bandits on Monday abducted the two sons of a community Youth Leader in Essanti village, Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The victims were reportedly seized around 1:30 p.m yesterday while returning from their farm.
Residents told NupekoTV that the abductors revealed to the victims that they were heading to Essanti after learning that villagers had begun fleeing the community out of fear of repeated night attacks.
A source who later communicated with the kidnappers disclosed that
The bandits according to a source who spoke with them said “abducting the youth leader’s sons would reduce the need for further night invasions, as the move was meant to intimidate residents and weaken the community’s resolve.”
“The victims, after confirming to their captors that they were from Essanti, were immediately taken hostage.”
It will be recalled that the bandits on Sunday night, bandits launched a violent raid on Marri Village in the Patigi Local Government Area of the state, leaving one person dead and another injured.
According to NupekoTV, the attack, which took place amid heavy rainfall between 9:00 pm and 11:00 pm, saw the assailants storm the community and make away with several motorcycles.
“However, the military responded swiftly to the distress call. With the prompt intervention of the Nigerian Army, all the stolen motorcycles were successfully recovered from the fleeing criminals,” the report said.
“Moreso, at about 7:00am yesterday, a armed men invaded the Ogbayo area of Oke-Ode, shooting sporadically. A combined team of police operatives and members of the National Forest Security Service responded swiftly to the scene, where they discovered 12 lifeless bodies of vigilante members, including the Baale of Ogbayo,” the statement read.