Fatimah Otunsanya
The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the attack on a Police Mobile Force camp in Nuku Village, Kaiama Local Government Area, where five forest guards were killed by suspected bandits.
The confirmation was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, a copy of which was made available to the newsmen in Ilorin.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of the day, was said to have taken place around 3:00 a.m., when armed assailants launched a coordinated assault on the security outpost.
According to the command, the attackers opened fire on the camp, killing five members of the National Forest Guard and damaging a police patrol vehicle before they were eventually repelled by officers on duty.
“At about 03:45hrs, bandits launched a coordinated attack on the PMF camp at Nuku village, where five members of the National Forest Guard were fatally shot,” the statement read.
“Extensive damage was done to a patrol vehicle belonging to police operatives before the PMF personnel in the camp repelled the bandits.”
The Commissioner of Police, CP Adekimi Ojo, expressed deep sympathy to the families of the deceased and condemned the attack in strong terms.
“The Commissioner of Police has expressed deep sympathy to the families of the deceased and condemned the attack in the strongest terms,” the statement added.
He assured residents that tactical and intelligence-led operations had commenced to track down the perpetrators.
“Continuous monitoring of the situation is ongoing to ensure the safety of residents and prevent further security breaches,” the command stated.
The police also urged members of the public to support ongoing investigations by providing credible information that could aid in the arrest of those responsible.
Meanwhile, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had earlier reacted to the incident, mourning the slain forest guards and describing them as heroes who died defending their community.
The governor commended their bravery and assured that the state government would support the families of the deceased while intensifying efforts to curb insecurity.
The attack has heightened concerns among residents of Kaiama and surrounding communities amid rising security challenges in parts of Kwara North.
