At least 12 forest guards were killed when armed men attacked the Oke-Ode community in Kwara State, northcentral Nigeria, on last Sunday. Police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, on Monday, September 29, confirmed the fatalities, noting that the victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds, while four survivors are receiving treatment.
No group has claimed responsibility for the assault, which mirrors frequent clashes between local farmers and herders over land and water access. The violence is part of a broader pattern of insecurity in Nigeria’s northern region, where historical grazing routes established in 1965 have become flashpoints for conflict.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has called on the military to decisively confront the assailants and restore order. He urged residents to remain calm and avoid retaliatory attacks, commending the bravery of the forest guards and local hunters who managed to neutralise some of the attackers despite losing five of their own. The latest killings follow a string of deadly incidents in northcentral Nigeria, including a June attack in Benue State that left at least 150 people dead, underscoring the persistent security challenges facing the region.