Gunmen kill six in Babanla as CP, DSS visit for security assessment

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin –

Armed criminals, numbering in their hundreds, on August 8, 2025, invaded Babanla community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. Riding on motorcycles, they attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters and raided the community market.

The assailants fired sporadically, killing five villagers and a police officer, identified as Adejumo Wasiu. The attack caused panic in the community before security operatives intervened.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, in a statement on Saturday in Ilorin, said a swift joint response by police operatives, Nigerian Army personnel, vigilantes, and local hunters repelled the attackers, restored order, and launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.

Kwara State Commissioner of Police, CP Adekimi Ojo, and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the state visited Babanla for an on-the-spot assessment. They met with the traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Oba Yusuf Aliyu Alabi Arojojoye II, and held discussions aimed at consolidating peace and strengthening inter-agency and community security collaboration.

The joint security delegation toured key locations, including the market, Divisional Police Headquarters, and surrounding areas, to ensure stability had been restored.

The Commissioner of Police ordered sustained armed patrols, continuous intelligence gathering, and the deployment of specialised tracking teams. The DSS pledged ongoing intelligence support to ensure all those involved in the attack are apprehended.

The Kwara State Police Command reiterated its commitment, in synergy with other security agencies, to safeguarding lives and property across the state.

Residents were urged to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperative with security agencies by providing credible information to aid ongoing operations.