Two bandits killed, abducted children rescued in Kwara security raid

By Muyideen Aliyu

Security operatives, comprising officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) and local forest guards in Kwara State, on Thursday killed two bandits and successfully rescued two children who had been abducted in a forest spanning the Oba Isin and Owa Onire communities.

The rescue took place in a forested area bordering the Isin and Ifelodun Local Government Areas of the state.

The rescued victims were identified as 16-year-old Fatima Azeez and her five-year-old brother, Ibrahim Azeez.

According to a statement released by the Kwara State Government House late Thursday night, the joint tactical team neutralized two of the armed bandits during a fierce encounter, while several other gang members escaped deep into the wilderness with severe gunshot injuries.

The statement added that the security forces stormed the hideout after receiving actionable intelligence from local authorities and other strategic security sources, which prompted the swift joint operation.

During the sweep of the camp, the team recovered an array of items left behind by the fleeing kidnappers.

The recovered exhibits included an AK-47 rifle, a single-barrel gun, a fully loaded magazine alongside nine empty casings, a mini-solar panel, and various food supplies.

This successful raid is tied to the ongoing, multi-agency counter-terrorism and anti-kidnapping offensive championed by the state government to completely rid Kwara’s southern senatorial district of criminal elements.