Kwara Town Deserted as Residents Flee Incessant Bandit Attacks

Owa-Onire, a town in Kwara State, Nigeria, has been largely deserted by its residents due to incessant attacks by armed groups and kidnappers. A video circulating online shows police officers arriving in the town to find it empty, with buildings closed and no inhabitants visible.

"All residents have left. There is nobody here again except goats," one officer remarked in the video, expressing disbelief at the extent of the abandonment. The footage reveals empty homes, shuttered shops, and the deserted palace of the traditional ruler, who is reportedly among those kidnapped.

The police have deployed tactical units, including Mobile Police Force and anti-kidnapping squads, to conduct security operations in the forested areas of Ifelodun, Isin, Oke-Ero, and Ekiti local government areas. This deployment follows earlier reports of security personnel encountering only a single resident during a visit to the community.

Concerns over insecurity are escalating across Kwara South and Kwara North. Recent incidents include the kidnapping of the traditional ruler of Oloruntele, the alleged killing of Salman Aweda, the traditional ruler of Olayinka community, and coordinated attacks on several communities resulting in abductions and at least one death. A primary school teacher was also recently abducted along a major road.

Community leaders have repeatedly warned that the escalating insecurity is forcing residents to abandon their homes and farmlands. Dozens of settlements in Ifelodun and neighboring areas are said to be displaced due to kidnappings and armed assaults. The situation has prompted public officials to advise residents to suspend certain religious gatherings in forests due to security risks.

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All residents have left. There is nobody here again except goats. This is my first time seeing a town abandoned by residents.