Panic has enveloped Idofin Odo-Ase, a quiet community in Oke Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, after armed gunmen launched a deadly evening assault on Thursday, leaving three residents dead and several others displaced.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers stormed the community around dusk, firing sporadly and attacking residents in their homes before fleeing into nearby forests.

“They came suddenly, shooting and shouting. We ran into the bush, but three people were killed instantly,” a resident told reporters.

Sources identified that two of the victims were shot, while another was stabbed to death during the violent rampage that has thrown the entire Kwara South axis into panic.

Residents lamented the absence of security operatives, claiming that no police or military personnel arrived during or after the attack.

“We didn’t see police or soldiers. The killers moved freely. Everyone is scared. Families are packing their belongings and running to nearby towns,” another source said.

As of Friday morning, many villagers had fled their homes, seeking refuge in neighboring communities over fears of renewed attacks.

Security agencies are yet to officially comment on the incident, which adds to the growing wave of armed violence and insecurity affecting rural areas across the North-Central region.