Armed men riding motorcycles stormed Gada Oli, a village near Wawa and Woro in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, late Saturday, firing shots into the air and sending residents fleeing.

The attackers reportedly targeted phone shops, breaking in and carting away mobile devices and other valuables.

Community sources confirmed that no deaths were recorded in this particular raid, although several businesses were looted and properties damaged.

The incident has deepened fears in an area already grappling with persistent insecurity.

The attack comes just weeks after a far more devastating assault on Woro and Nuku communities in the same local government area.

In early February, suspected militants surrounded the villages in the evening and opened fire indiscriminately, leaving residents with little chance of escape.

Survivors described how fleeing villagers were shot, while others were rounded up, particularly at the village head’s palace and executed.

Reports placed the death toll at well over 100, with some estimates ranging between 160 and 200 fatalities.

Homes were burned, shops looted, dozens abducted, and at least 50 people injured.

The attackers were said to be enforcing their version of Sharia law, allegedly punishing communities for resisting their demands.

The massacre shocked the state and intensified anxiety across rural districts.

In response, the federal government launched Operation Savannah Shield, a joint military campaign involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force, headquartered at the Sobi Military Cantonment in Ilorin.

The operation aims to dismantle armed networks operating across forest corridors near Kainji Lake National Park and stabilize affected parts of Kwara North and neighboring Niger State.

Despite these efforts, residents report that threats persist.

A night curfew from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. has been imposed in Kaiama, and fear has disrupted daily life in nearby Edu and Patigi local government areas, where some Muslim communities have scaled back Ramadan night prayers due to security concerns.

Analysts attribute the recurring violence to cross-border armed movements and the exploitation of dense forest terrain, highlighting the growing calls for a permanent and more robust security presence to restore lasting stability.