Residents of Kwara State are now living in fear owing to the rising incidents of mysterious attacks, which many believe have ritual undertones.The menace has become so recurrent that many of the residents have cried out to the state government, the police and other security agencies to take a step on the issue.One of the recent victims, Miss Yemi Arigbede, narrowly escaped being killed by her attacker penultimate Sunday.Arigbede, a member of Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, told PUNCH METRO that she was attacked on Oro Road Junction, Ilorin. She said she raised the alarm, which attracted people, forcing her assailant to run away.Although she escaped, Arigbede was left with a deep cut on her head and lost much blood after the attack.She said she was convinced that her attacker was a ritual killer, as he wore black attire. She said passers-by, who rescued her and later took her to a hospital.She said, I was coming from Tanke on Sunday when I stopped at Oro Road Junction, around 10pm. A man suddenly emerged from a hideout and hit me with a cutlass. After the attack, the deep cuts on my head began oozing blood. I managed to run as little as I could but I was very weak.The man did not run away immediately. He just went and hid somewhere. As I was shouting for help, a man came out but immediately I shouted again, he ran back. The man that hit me was wearing black all over and he is a young man. I saw some cars and I beckoned on them for help. But none responded until a man came and took me to a nearby hospital.Government should beef up security because this thing is happening in so many places. It even happened a few days ago at Agric Junction, Ibrahim Taiwo Road. They also hit one man with a cutlass. I do not think they are armed robbers. I think they are ritual killers. It appears that they are using peoples blood. Their method of operations appears the same as they always hit people on the head.But another victim, Jacob Igbade, was not as lucky as Arigbede. Igbade, an employee of a security outfit in Ilorin, was murdered on CBN Road penultimate Sunday.Igbade, who hailed from Edo State, was also hit in the head while returning from work around 6.30am. A source said when Igbade did not return home on time, the family visited his office to look for him.He said they were shocked when his colleagues said he left for his home the previous day.The source said after combing the nook and cranny of the area, they later learnt that a man was attacked on CBN Road and his corpse had been carried away by the police.She said after making enquiry from the police, they discovered that the man whose remains were deposited at the mortuary was Igbade, adding that he had since been buried in his home town.Also on Tuesday, a drycleaner, identified simply as Agbolo was also reportedly murdered at Taiwo Okon-Erin Junction, Ilorin.Last month, PUNCH METRO learnt that two corps members were also attacked at Fate Round About, Tanke, Ilorin.One of them, a male, was said to have been attacked around 7:30pm on his way home after visiting a sick female colleague. The corps member bled profusely and became unconscious. His attacker dispossessed him of his money, phone and some items in his pocket. He was later rushed to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital by some sympathisers.Another female corps member was attacked while returning from church on Sunday around 7:25pm at Fate Round-About, Ilorin. She was also said to have been hit in the head from behind also.It was learnt that her assailant overpowered and dragged her to a hideout before a passer-by who heard her screaming came to her rescue.The Good Samaritan was said to have alerted some policemen at a nearby checkpoint after the attacker had run away.The Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Command, Mr. Dabo Ezekiel, in a telephone interview with our correspondent confirmed the arrest of four persons in connection with the attacks.We have arrested four suspects: two from A Division and two from Adewole, three of them were found with cutlasses, one with a stick. We have charged them to court, Ezekiel said.The Kwara State Government said it was doing its best to ensure security of lives and property in the state.The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, also said there was the need for more cooperation among the government, private sector and residents to improve security in the state.
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