Fear and grief have engulfed Irele and Ijowa communities in Ajoni Local Council Development Area of Ekiti State following a sustained bandit siege that has claimed an elderly woman’s life and led to multiple abductions.
Community leaders said the attackers have held the area hostage for over 11 days, abducting at least five residents. In a particularly cruel incident, the bandits reportedly killed an elderly woman and demanded ₦1.5 million from her family before releasing her corpse for burial.
Speaking for the communities, High Chief Kehinde Abejide, the Akogun of Irele Kingdom, said the violence began with the kidnapping of a farmer, for whom ₦10 million ransom was demanded. He lamented that farming and trading have ceased as residents live in fear.
The chief also recounted an attack on a mother and son returning from the farm. While the son survived gunshot wounds and is receiving treatment at Federal Medical Centre, Ikole-Ekiti, his mother was abducted, killed, and later shown to her family by the assailants.
As the situation worsened, four more residents were reportedly abducted, heightening concerns over the deteriorating security.
Chief Abejide appealed to Governor Biodun Oyebanji and security agencies to intervene urgently. He recalled that earlier deployment of the Nigerian Army had briefly reduced attacks, warning that the communities now fear a repeat of past deadly incidents in neighbouring areas.
Residents say they remain trapped in their homes, hoping swift action will prevent further loss of lives.
