Kwara Village Pleads for Rescue After Deadly Lakurawa Raid
- TruthNigeria
- Sep 15
- 4 min read
‘We are trapped in fear’ –Community Leader
By Onibiyo Segun
(Eruku, Kwara State) Marks of fire and blood remain on the red earth of Isanlu Isin, Kwara State. Charred motorcycle frames sit beside burned homes. Villagers whisper of missing loved ones and unanswered prayers.
Dr. Jacob Ayanda, Vice-President of the Isanlu Isin Development Association, said his people are living in fear, according to The Daily Post.
“We have been abandoned to face armed terrorists alone,” he said.
The attack happened on Saturday, September 14, 2025, police sources told reporters. Eyewitnesses described the assault as swift and merciless. Terrorists stormed the village at dusk, firing into the air. Villagers fled into bushes. Local vigilantes, known also as community guards, attempted defense but were ambushed. Two men were killed. Six others vanished.
“We heard gunshots everywhere,” said Grace Oladimeji, a widow who fled with her two children. “My neighbor was shot dead. The terrorists set fire to motorcycles. We ran into the forest and slept there.”
The onslaught lasted hours. At least 27 motorcycles belonging to community guards were burned, said leader Sunday Ajibola. “We had no advanced weapons. We carry hunting guns. They came with AK-47s and should be more than 30 terrorists. We fought, but we were outgunned. Some of my men are still missing.” Oladimeji added.
Police in Kwara confirmed the killings. Chief Superintendent Mohammed Sani, spokesperson for the state police command, acknowledged the attackers were heavily armed and suspected to be members of the Lakurawa terrorist group, an Al-Qaida affiliated insurgency first reported by TruthNigeria in November 2024. “We are combing the forests. We are working with hunters and the community guards. The terrain is challenging, but we will not rest until the perpetrators are arrested,” he said.
Who are the Lakurawa?
The Lakurawa are a violent terrorist insurgency first observed infiltrating Sokoto communities in 2023 and more recently in Zamfara’s forests. According to security experts, they are believed to have splintered from Fulani Ethnic Militia gangs in the Northwest. Over time, they forged loose ties with extremist groups linked to Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP).
Known for brutal raids on farming villages, the group attacks for ransom, livestock, and territorial control. Lakurawa fighters have been spotted in Niger, Kebbi, and now Kwara. “They combine organized terror with opportunistic banditry,” Dr. Aliyu Musa, a terrorism analyst told TruthNigeria. “Their expansion into Kwara signals a broader national threat. Another unit is troubling Western Kogi – Egbe, Odo Ape, Kabba, Isanlu. Soon, the terrorists will get to Lagos,” he warned.
Kwara is a state in Nigeria’s northcentral region, bordered to the west by Benin Republic and less than 300 kilometers from Lagos. The state is majority Muslim, especially around Ilorin, its capital, but its southern belt, including Isanlu Isin and Eruku, is predominantly Christian.
Isanlu Isin lies near the Omu Aran region, surrounded by forests stretching toward Kogi. Just west of Isanlu Isin is Eruku, a historic Christian town on the Ilofa–Egbe road. Locals say these same forests that connect farming settlements provide cover for terrorists.
Similar violence has struck nearby communities. In Ganmu-Alheri, Ifelodun county (Local Government Area), terrorists invaded at night, killing farmers and displacing households. Survivors reported that attackers came from forests near Kwara’s border with Niger State.
In Egbe, Yagba West, in Kogi State, TruthNigeria documented how Fulani Ethnic Militia terrorists stormed the town earlier this month, leaving police officers and community guards dead. Families fled across state lines for safety.
The day after Isanlu Isin’s attack, villagers blocked the Oke Onigbin-Omu Aran highway, demanding protection from state and federal governments. Angry youths waved placards reading: “We are dying. Where is the government?”
“This is not just about Isanlu Isin,” said elder Kehinde Afolabi, who joined the protest. “If terrorists can enter our land, they can enter anywhere. We recently paid 20 million Naira (about US$13,300) for the release of 2 kidnapped sons. They kidnapped 4 more and demanded another 20 million. We contacted the county chairman and security agents, but they are yet to respond.”
Worsening Threat of Attacks
Security experts warn Kwara’s terror threat is deepening. Dr. Musa said Lakurawa fighters are spreading south from Niger and Zamfara, taking advantage of porous forest borders and weak policing.
“These forests have become highways for armed groups,” he said. “They move from Kaduna to Niger, then down into Kwara and even Kogi. Without aerial surveillance, they will keep striking.”
Retired Colonel Tunde Alade added that community guards cannot substitute for the military. “They mean well but cannot match AK-47s with hunting guns. Only combined police and military patrols, backed by drones, can protect towns like Isanlu Isin effectively.”
Residents say they feel forgotten. Community schools remain half-empty. Farmers avoid their fields. Families gather in one room at night to pray against another raid.
“We are trapped in fear,” said youth leader Emmanuel Adedayo. “If we farm, they will kidnap or kill us. If we travel, they will ambush us. We cannot live like prisoners.”
The federal government recently announced new operations against terrorist groups in Northcentral Nigeria. But local leaders argue these efforts rarely reach rural villages. Without a permanent security presence, communities remain exposed. “Government must put boots on the ground,” Dr. Ayanda told TruthNigeria. “We don’t need promises anymore. We need soldiers here, now, before more lives are lost.”
As the sun set over Isanlu Isin, community guards patrolled dirt tracks on foot. Their burned motorcycles lay as mute testimony to the night of horror. Families waited, wondering if their missing would return.
Experts agree that unless Kwara receives sustained attention, the community may face another assault. For now, Isanlu Isin stands wounded, calling for rescue in a nation still struggling for answers.
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv
