Residents of Lata Nna community in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State have appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in what they described as a worsening wave of banditry, kidnappings and violent attacks that has left the community living in fear for more than two years.
In a Save Our Soul (SOS) letter signed by the Secretary of the Lata Nna Youth Association, Tauheed Desco, on behalf of the community, the residents painted a grim picture of daily life, saying persistent insecurity has crippled farming, trading and free movement.
According to the letter, the community can no longer safely access its farms or markets, while the only road linking the settlement to neighbouring communities has become a dangerous route regularly targeted by armed bandits.
The residents appealed to the President to immediately deploy additional security personnel to restore peace, secure the community and reopen the only access road, which they said has repeatedly been blocked by armed criminals.
They also requested sustained military and security operations to flush bandits out of surrounding forests and ensure lasting protection for residents.
In addition, the community urged the Federal Government to provide support for families who have lost loved ones during the attacks, including the relatives of farmer Alhassan Ndaba and two other residents killed in separate incidents.
The community lamented that despite years of suffering, little attention had been given to their plight, insisting that they had endured kidnappings, armed robberies, extortion and repeated invasions of their farmlands without adequate protection.
Among the incidents highlighted was the killing of dozens of local hunters during a violent confrontation with heavily armed bandits in August 2025.
Residents claimed that about 65 hunters lost their lives in the clash, although only 40 bodies were recovered and buried.
They also recalled the murder of farmer Alhassan Ndaba on April 15, 2026, while travelling to his farmland, describing the attack as one of several tragedies that have devastated families in the area.
The letter further detailed a series of recent attacks, including a daylight raid on July 10 during which armed men allegedly looted homes, shops, cash, food items, mobile phones and four motorcycles worth about N1.6 million.
Residents said another disturbing incident occurred on June 13 when four armed bandits reportedly entered the community openly on motorcycles, moving freely in search of petrol, recharge cards and other items, leaving residents terrified.
They described June 26 as their darkest day after gunmen reportedly blocked the community’s only access road, trapping residents and cutting off movement to hospitals and markets.
During the attack, two people returning home were allegedly shot dead at the roadblock.
Other reported incidents included the robbery of villagers gathering leaves in nearby bushes on June 27 and the armed robbery of a Point-of-Sale (POS) operator on July 15 shortly after withdrawing cash from a bank.
Appealing for urgent intervention, the community said it voted with the hope of improved security and urged President Tinubu not to allow Lata Nna to be abandoned to criminal gangs.
They expressed hope that decisive action by security agencies would restore peace and enable residents to return to their normal lives without fear.
