At least five people, including three soldiers, died during a violent assault by suspected bandits on the twin communities of Mari and Dina in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State on Thursday. Armed attackers invaded the villages in large numbers, shooting indiscriminately and triggering panic as residents fled into nearby bushes. One eyewitness described the chaos: "People were running helter-skelter when the bandits started shooting sporadically. Some of the victims were hit by bullets while trying to flee into nearby bushes. It was a terrifying situation because nobody knew where the next gunshot would come from."
Local sources confirmed the abduction of several villagers, including women and children, who were marched into the forest. "The bandits operated for hours. They took many women and children away with them. As we speak, their whereabouts remain unknown," another resident said. Security forces from the Forward Operational Base in Patigi responded to distress calls but were ambushed en route. Gunfire erupted, killing three soldiers and leading to the destruction of a patrol vehicle, which was set ablaze.
No official statement has been released by military authorities regarding the incident. Residents have expressed growing fear over escalating attacks, urging for increased security presence in the area.
Three soldiers dead in an ambush meant to rescue villagers — that is the cost of operating in a region where bandits move with tactical precision. The abduction of women and children from Mari and Dina was not a spontaneous act but part of a broader pattern of destabilisation that security forces appear ill-equipped to counter. If military units can be outmanoeuvred on response missions, then the balance of power in rural Kwara is shifting. For residents, the reality is simple: protection is not guaranteed, and every attack widens the gap between government promises and ground truth.
