Bandits Raid Osun Border Town, Kill Leader

The serene atmosphere of Ora Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State was shattered on Monday night as a wave of terror swept through the community. Armed bandits, operating with daring impunity, launched a violent assault on the ancient town, leaving behind a trail of blood and an atmosphere of profound anxiety. By the time the dust settled, the leader of the non-indigene community lay dead, and a prominent resident, former customs officer Mr. Emmanuel Owolabi, had been forcibly abducted from his residence.

According to accounts from traumatized eyewitnesses, the attackers arrived in significant numbers, their presence announced by a rhythmic volley of high-caliber gunfire that echoed across the town, which sits precariously near the borders of Kwara and Ekiti States. For several hours, the assailants appeared to hold the area in a virtual siege, moving through neighborhoods with a sense of control that sent hundreds of panicked residents fleeing into the surrounding darkness or hiding under beds. The focus of the violence was reportedly concentrated in the Akisa district, where the sound of shattered windows and splintering doors punctuated the night.

While the town’s internal security apparatus—comprised of local guards and community vigilantes—attempted to mount a defense, they were quickly overwhelmed. Sources within the local security circle noted that their traditional hunting rifles and basic equipment were no match for the sophisticated, automatic weaponry wielded by the bandits. The disparity in firepower forced a tactical retreat, leaving the community vulnerable until the invaders eventually withdrew into the dense forests that characterize the border region.

Confirming the harrowing incident, High Chief Isaac Fadipe, the Inurin of Ora Igbomina land, spoke to the press in a voice heavy with concern. He verified that while a combined team of the Amotekun Corps, local hunters, and vigilantes are currently scouring the forest in an intensive search-and-rescue operation, the situation remains dire. The primary objective is to secure the safe return of Mr. Owolabi, whose family is reportedly devastated by the sudden abduction.

Chief Fadipe did not mince words regarding the vulnerability of the community, issuing an urgent appeal to Governor Ademola Adeleke and the heads of various security agencies. He stressed that the town’s geographical position as a border community makes it a soft target for trans-border criminals. “We are now living in perpetual fear,” Fadipe lamented, emphasizing that without a permanent fortification of armed security personnel, the residents remain sitting ducks for future incursions.

The Osun State Police Command has since responded to the outcry, announcing the deployment of additional tactical units to the Ifedayo axis. The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Ojelabi, stated on Tuesday that police operatives, bolstered by local volunteers, moved into the bush immediately after the distress call was received. In a clarifying detail that highlights the complexity of the border terrain, Ojelabi noted that while the abduction took place in Osun, the individual shot during the raid actually fell just across the border line in Kwara State.

As the search operation enters its second day, the streets of Ora Igbomina remain eerily quiet. Shops are shuttered, and the usual bustle of the market has been replaced by hushed conversations among groups of men standing on street corners, keep an eye on the horizon. For these residents, the abduction of a retired officer and the killing of a community leader is a grim reminder that the security of their border town requires more than just local bravery; it requires a decisive and sustained federal and state intervention to prevent the forest from becoming a permanent sanctuary for bandits.