In a violent raid on Saturday night, over 40 gunmen stormed the Owa-Onire community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, leaving one person dead and two others abducted. The attack, which began around 8:00 pm, targeted residential homes and the local palace, resulting in the death of a resident identified as a blacksmith.

Among those abducted were a teenage palace maid, Miss Rachael, and an adult male identified as Mr. Sunday. During the assault, Kabiru, the son of the Elerin of Owa-Onire, Chief Abdulfatai Ajulo, was shot and sustained severe injuries.

Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen, frustrated after failing to find their primary targets a local pastor and a farmer who had travelled to Ilorin resorted to indiscriminate attacks and looting of shops and homes.

The community of over 500 people has been largely deserted as residents flee to Ilorin and other safer areas, fearing further attacks. This incident follows a pattern of insecurity in the axis, as Chief Ajulo himself had been previously kidnapped and released only after a N7.5 million ransom payment. The Olowa of Owa-Onire, Oba AbdulRahman Fabiyi, remains in the deserted town with only a few chiefs

Vanguard reliably gathered by Monday morning that the community of over 500 persons has been highly deserted, leaving the monarch Olowa of Owa-Onire, Oba AbdulRahman Fabiyi, and a few of his chiefs left as residents have fled for fear of another attack.

Vanguard further gathered that the kidnappers have been having free operations in the community over the years because there's no police station or any office of the government's security agencies anywhere in the community.

It was further gathered that the gunmen have sent a message to the monarch demanding N100million before the two victims could be released, but negotiations have reportedly seen the demand reduced to N5 million at press time.

Vanguard, however, gathered from the locals that the kidnappers, who arrived the community by 8 pm were initially asking for the resident of their target, simply identified as "Pastor," and a farmer who, unknown to them, had travelled to Ilorin earlier in the day.

On missing their targets, the assailants launched indiscriminate attacks on residents, beating people mercilessly with machetes and guns.

"They entered our community exactly 8pm, more than 40 of them asking for the residence of pastor who had earlier in the day travelled to Ilorin.

"They didn't meet him or anyone in his residence and the anger made them to be attacking everyone in sight, moving from house to house.

"Some of them entered my house and seriously beat me, thank God I'm alive.

"They were just entering homes, collecting phones and PoS and carting away the items our people are selling. They also went to the palace.

"I was in our community today, almost everywhere was silent; nobody was around. I learnt only Kabiyesi and few chiefs are left, I had to take few personal needs and returned to Ilorin," said the local who craved anonymity.

Oba Fabiyi was reportedly spared by the kidnappers because he was abducted about a year ago and ransom was paid before his release.