By: Ganiyu Olayinka
Terrorists have killed three mobile police officers in a midnight assault on a security base in Tenibo community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, in what is now the second deadly attack on security personnel in the area within a fortnight.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday, around midnight, when gunmen emerged from a nearby forest and overran the base before withdrawing back into the forest. The killings have sent shockwaves through Tenibo and surrounding communities, with many residents reported to have fled their homes in search of safer ground.
The latest incident comes just eleven days after three soldiers were killed in a gun battle in the neighbouring Kemanji community, a firefight that sources said lasted over two hours. Combined, the two attacks have claimed the lives of six security personnel in Kwara State in less than two weeks.
Local sources said the pattern of the attacks — striking security positions and retreating into dense forest cover — suggests that security operatives are being deliberately targeted. A forest located approximately one kilometre from the community is believed to be serving as a base of operations for the assailants, with residents calling on the government to clear the area and deny attackers their cover.
“The government should clear the area and allow residents to farm there. That would help flush out the attackers and reduce these killings,” one community source said. “Government cannot continue to watch while security personnel are being killed. Urgent action is needed.”
Kaiama Local Government Area Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi Danladi, confirmed the attack and acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing local authorities.
“Yes, it happened again this morning. The terrorists killed three of our mobile police officers,” he said. “The local government is doing its best. We are working to strengthen collaboration with the state and federal governments to address this situation, as it is beyond what we can handle alone.”
The repeated targeting of security bases in the area has raised urgent questions about the adequacy of current counter-terrorism measures in the region, and whether the forested terrain shielding the attackers can be effectively addressed before further lives are lost.
Tags: #Kwara #Insecurity #Kaiama