Residents of Lata Nna community in Patigi local government, Kwara State, have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to dare all consequences and free them from the clutch of bandits that have killed about 80 of them in two yeats.

According to a Save Our Soul (SOS) letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the bandits have also continued to hold the villagers hostages while looting them of valuables worth several millions of naira and consequently heightened fear among them.

In an open letter addressed to the President and signed by the Secretary of the Lata Nna Youth Association, Tauheed Ahmed Desco, the community said it had endured persistent attacks for two years, noting that repeated incidents of killings, kidnappings, robberies and farm invasions had pushed the agrarian settlement to the brink.

They said: “the latest appeal became necessary because of the increasing frequency and severity of the attacks, which had made farming, trading and movement almost impossible in Lata Nna.”

The community recalled that: “in August 2025, no fewer than 65 local hunters were killed in a confrontation with armed bandits in a forest near.”

It, however, stated that only 40 bodies were recovered and buried, attributing the heavy casualties to the hunters’ inferior weapons against bandits with sophisticated rifles.

The letter further alleged that on April 15, 2026, a farmer, Allassan Ndaba, was killed by suspected bandits while going to farm.

The residents also claimed that on June 13, four armed men riding two motorcycles entered the community in broad daylight, searching for recharge cards, petrol and other supplies, an incident they said caused panic in the village.

According to the community: “the attacks escalated on June 26 when bandits blocked the only access road linking Lata Nna with neighbouring communities, preventing movement during which they killed two residents who were returning home.

“Another attack occurred on June 27 when villagers who had gone to gather leaves behind the community were robbed of their mobile phones and cash at gunpoint.

“On July 10, armed men invaded the community, looting homes, shops, food items, cash and mobile phones before making away with four motorcycles valued at about N1.6 million each.

“On July 15, the community said a Point on Sale (POS) operator was allegedly robbed of cash shortly after withdrawing money from a bank for business transactions,” they listed.

The residents lamented the sustained attacks that had crippled farming and commercial activities, while the only access road had become unsafe for commuters.

“We can no longer go to our farms, we can no longer go to the market, and we can no longer sleep with our eyes closed. Our only road is a death trap. Our community is bleeding,” the letter read.

They appealed to the President to order the immediate deployment of security personnel to restore peace, secure the only access road and launch sustained operations to dislodge the armed groups from their hideouts.

It also urged the Federal Government to provide support for families of victims, particularly those who lost loved ones in the April 15 and June 26 attacks.

The residents expressed hope that the Federal Government would respond swiftly to prevent further loss of lives and restore normalcy to the community.