Bandit Attacks Kwara Again, Kidnaps Two Chinese Men, Demands ‘₦1 billion’ Rasom

Kwara State has suffered another blow in its growing battle against insecurity as armed bandits launched a brutal late-night attack on a road construction site, abducting two Chinese nationals and demanding a heavy ransom for their release. According to Intel Region

Gunmen operating in the dead of night reportedly stormed a road-construction site in Bode Saadu/Kaiama/Kosubosu Road, Kwara State, and abducted two Chinese nationals working with the firm.

According to local sources, the attack occurred between 11:00 pm and 4:00 am. The assailants fired sporadic shots for several hours before whisking away the foreign workers to an unknown location.

Eyewitnesses say the armed men arrived in large numbers and unleashed several hours of sporadic gunfire to scare workers before whisking away the two Chinese men.

A resident who witnessed the incident said:

“They came around 11pm and didn’t leave until almost daybreak. Everyone ran for safety, but the two Chinese supervisors were captured.”

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Ransom Demand Raises Tension Across Host Communities

While security agencies have yet to issue an official statement, community insiders claim that the kidnappers have already contacted the construction company, demanding a heavy ransom running into several millions of naira.

Security observers note that the ransom demand aligns with a growing pattern in Nigeria’s North-Central region, where foreign expatriates are frequently targeted due to the high financial rewards kidnappers expect.

A Disturbing Trend of Attacks on Foreign Workers

This latest kidnapping adds to a troubling list of similar incidents in the state. Earlier in the year, The Punch reported that gunmen killed two police officers and abducted a Chinese worker and his Nigerian colleague during an attack at a mining site in Oreke-Okeigbo, Ifelodun LGA, with the kidnappers demanding over ₦1 billion ransom.

In another case, Premium Times documented a coordinated security operation that rescued several captives, including four Chinese nationals kidnapped across Kwara and Kogi States.

Despite such rescue efforts, residents and expatriates remain on edge as the attacks continue.

Residents in affected communities say they now live in fear, especially those working in remote project locations.

Many believe the repeated abductions could delay major development projects and discourage foreign investors from participating in infrastructure development.

A community leader in Kaiama expressed frustration, saying:

“We can’t sleep well anymore. These projects are supposed to help our people, but workers are scared to return. The government must act now.”

Local stakeholders have called on security agencies to strengthen surveillance around critical infrastructure, warning that the pattern of attacks is gradually destabilizing the region.