Fresh abduction in Kwara North deepens security concerns
By Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho –
The wave of insecurity sweeping through Kwara North has taken a disturbing turn with the abduction of the wife and daughter of Alhaji Muhammad Swasun, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sakpefu community, Patigi Local Government Area.
The incident, which occurred late Sunday night, has once again thrown the region into panic, and renewed calls for stronger government intervention are getting louder.
Gunmen suspected to be bandits reportedly stormed Sakpefu, shooting sporadically before breaking into the residence of the APC chairman. They seized his wife, Hajiya Fatima, and daughter, Amina, and fled with them to an undisclosed location.
Confirming the incident on Monday, a senior party official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Swasun narrowly escaped being abducted.
“He told me they scaled his fence and fired shots. They dragged his wife and daughter out while he managed to escape. It’s a terrible experience,” the official disclosed.
The attack follows a string of kidnappings in Kwara North. Communities in Patigi, Edu, and Ifelodun LGAs have repeatedly come under siege. Only recently, gunmen invaded the Shagbe community in Ifelodun, where they killed residents and kidnapped several others, including individuals at the palace of the monarch.
The latest abduction has heightened fears among residents, who insist the government must act decisively to stem the growing menace of banditry before it spirals further out of control.
When contacted on the latest abduction in Patigi, Kwara State Police Commissioner, Mr Adekimi Ojo, said he was not aware of the incident. “I’m yet to be informed,” he told Vanguard.
