At least 20 people have reportedly been killed after armed bandits invaded and sacked four communities in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The affected communities—Aba Alajido, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor, and Ademekun—were attacked at midnight, with residents fleeing for safety.
Eyewitnesses claim the death toll could be much higher. A resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that over 40 people might have been killed, with many still missing.
“The attack started last Monday, but the most severe assault happened on Friday night. The bandits struck while people were asleep, opening fire indiscriminately. Many ran into the bush, while some were not so lucky,” he recounted.
He added, “Security forces arrived on Sunday and recovered some bodies, but many are still missing. If they search further, more corpses will likely be found in the bush.”
Confirming the attack, Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer Funmi Odunlami said an investigation had begun, and officers had been deployed to restore order.
“The matter was reported on Saturday that the Aba Pastor community was attacked. The command immediately swung into action to ensure normalcy and to track down the perpetrators,” she said.
The Regent of Ademekun Community, Princess Adelowo Adekemisola, revealed that 14 people were killed in her community alone.
“For the past six years, we have been battling attacks from herdsmen. This time, 14 people were killed over the weekend after they infiltrated our community and started shooting sporadically,” she lamented.
