Gunmen Attack in Kwara Highlights Growing Insecurity in Rural Communities

The recent killing of two people in Rore, a quiet community in Kwara State, has once again underscored the rising wave of insecurity threatening rural settlements across Nigeria.

Residents recounted how gunmen stormed the area between 12:30 am and 1:00 am, firing sporadically and leaving behind a trail of blood.

A security guard and a driver were gunned down, while a third victim escaped with gunshot wounds.

Bullet marks riddled the walls of a house and a vehicle parked in the compound, leaving the community shaken.

The President of the Rore Development Association, Pastor Mike Oyedepo, told journalists that the attackers arrived on motorbikes, masked, and forced their way into the compound after scaling a fence.

“They killed two people, including the guard. Another young man escaped with injuries. Nobody can say if they were robbers, kidnappers, or assassins because they spoke no word during the attack,” he explained.

According to Oyedepo, the police later arrived to evacuate the corpses and promised an investigation, but the incident has amplified concerns about the absence of adequate security in the area.

“We have only one Civil Defence outpost with two officers and a police post that is barely functional. That night, none of them was around. The community is practically left to the mercy of local hunters and vigilantes,” he lamented.

The attack was particularly shocking for residents, as the targeted compound belongs to a philanthropist known for his contributions to the community.

He had funded multiple boreholes, supported religious projects, and donated to local schools.

Once a peaceful village where different tribes coexisted without tension, Rore is now grappling with fear and uncertainty.

The killings mirror a wider trend across rural Nigeria, where inadequate security presence leaves communities vulnerable to violent crime.

Community leaders are now holding meetings on how to strengthen local vigilance, but residents insist that without a stronger presence of police and Civil Defence officers, the cycle of violence may continue.