Suspected terrorists have circulated warning letters to several communities in Kwara state, raising fears of fresh attacks weeks after a deadly assault in the area.
Residents and local officials said letters were delivered to at least four communities in the past six days, threatening violence. On Thursday, one such letter was dropped in Ira, a town linking Inaja and Aho in Oyun Local Government Area.
The threats come days after a Feb. 3 attack on Woro town in Kaiama Local Government Area that residents said left more than 170 people dead and dozens abducted.
Residents of Ira, Inaja and Aho have begun fleeing their homes following the latest threat, community leaders said.
A copy of one letter, signed “The Writer (SANUFH),” claimed to be from a group calling itself the “Nigeria Terrorist Association.” The letter threatened to attack the named communities and said the group gathers intelligence before carrying out raids. The authenticity of the letter could not be independently verified.
A traditional chief in Ira, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the letter was dropped around midafternoon Thursday at a motorcycle park near the town’s central mosque.
He said two men on a motorcycle left the letter at the park. After reading it, riders took it to the palace of the traditional ruler, who alerted security agencies.
By early evening, officers from the Department of State Services and police had visited Ira, Inaja and Aho, the chief said. Soldiers, police and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps are now patrolling the area.
Despite the security presence, fear has spread through the communities, prompting some residents to relocate temporarily to nearby towns.
“This is the first time we are witnessing something like this,” the chief said. “People are afraid. Some have left because we don’t know what is coming.”
The Oninaja of Inaja, Oba Wahab Oyetoro, said the letter heightened tension and forced some residents to flee to towns such as Offa and other neighboring communities.
He said the chairman of Oyun Local Government convened a security meeting of traditional rulers to discuss strategies to protect residents.
Yekini Olarewaju, national secretary of the Ira Descendants Union, said panic has disrupted daily life. Schools did not open Friday and many farmers stayed away from their fields, he said.
Security agencies, including the Navy, police and civil defense corps, along with soldiers stationed in nearby Ilemona, have begun patrols across the affected communities, he added. Local vigilantes are also combing surrounding bushes.
An indigene of Ira who now lives in Offa and spoke on condition of anonymity said news of the letter spread quickly Thursday night, prompting calls from relatives within and outside Nigeria.
“We just have to be prayerful,” he said. “The letter has sent shockwaves through the community.”
The spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, Ejire Adetoun-Adeyemi, confirmed receipt of the letter.
“Our intelligence unit is currently investigating to ascertain its veracity and possible source,” she said, adding that additional patrols had been deployed in collaboration with vigilantes.
A senior official of the Department of State Services also confirmed the development, saying the agency was working on the matter.
A military source said the Nigerian Army’s Forward Operating Base in Ilemona had increased patrols and that security agencies were on alert to prevent infiltration.
Meanwhile, Oyun Local Government Chairman Akanbi Olarewaju convened an emergency security meeting Friday at the council secretariat in Ilemona, attended by security agencies, traditional rulers and community leaders.
In a statement by his chief press secretary, the council urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and to report suspicious movements, saying proactive steps were being taken to safeguard lives and property.
