Terror in the Night: Gunmen Abduct 12-Year-Old Girl from Fulani Camp in Kwara State as Police Launch Massive Manhunt

In a chilling and brazen nighttime operation that has once again jolted the already tense security climate in Nigeria, four unidentified gunmen stormed Aiyetoro Fulani Camp in Kwara State and abducted a 12-year-old girl, plunging her family and the local community into anguish and fear. The victim, Hassana Abdullahi, is the daughter of Mr. Abdullahi Jowuro, a prominent member of the Fulani camp, which lies in the outskirts of the state. The attackers reportedly struck at about 3:00 AM under the cover of darkness, executing the abduction swiftly and vanishing into the surrounding bush before help could arrive.

According to a statement released by the Kwara State Police Command, the incident is being treated with utmost urgency, as a joint tactical team comprising police operatives, local vigilantes, and hunters has been dispatched to the area to comb the dense forest and surrounding territories in a bid to rescue the young girl. The statement, issued by Police Public Relations Officer SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed that the crime scene has been documented, and authorities are appealing to residents for vigilance and cooperation.

“At about 0300hrs, four armed men invaded Aiyetoro Fulani Camp and abducted 12-year-old Hassana Abdullahi; daughter to Mr Abdullahi Jowuro. The scene of the crime was secured and documented. In response, joint tactical teams comprising police operatives, vigilantes, and local hunters have been deployed to conduct bush combing and rescue operations,” the statement read. She further urged the public to report any suspicious activity without delay, reiterating the police command’s commitment to ensuring public safety and the quick return of the abducted girl.

This horrifying development adds to a growing list of abductions and violent crimes in Kwara and across northern Nigeria, where rural and semi-rural communities have increasingly become targets of kidnappings, armed robberies, and murder by marauding criminal elements believed to be bandits. The Aiyetoro attack comes on the heels of another recent tragedy in Lile village, Patigi Local Government Area of the state, where gunmen launched a deadly assault on the home of a respected community leader and businessman, Alhaji Abdullahi Kpotun.

In that attack, which occurred just a day prior to Hassana's abduction, the gunmen attempted to abduct Alhaji Kpotun but ended up brutally murdering him and his son in front of family members. According to local sources who spoke to SaharaReporters, the assailants did not stop there but extended their violence to another household in the village, where yet another innocent life was lost.

“It was not only his family that the bandits attacked last night; they attacked another family and killed someone there too,” the source revealed. The motivation behind the spree of violence remains unclear, but the coordinated nature of these attacks has left many residents speculating that the region may be facing an organized criminal cell or group targeting communities known to be poorly policed and vulnerable.

As search and rescue efforts continue, panic and sorrow ripple through the Fulani community of Aiyetoro, with families living in fear that they could be the next targets. The atmosphere is heavy with tension as community members grapple with the trauma of a child being taken in the dead of night, and questions mount about the safety of remote settlements across Nigeria.

The pattern of targeting Fulani camps may further deepen existing tensions between ethnic and community groups, especially as narratives around the involvement of so-called "bandits" — some of whom have been linked to factions within or associated with Fulani herder groups in other states — become more complicated. However, in this case, the victim herself is Fulani, signaling that the menace of criminality has no tribal or religious boundaries and affects all Nigerians regardless of ethnicity.

Critics have long argued that Nigeria’s security apparatus is overstretched, underfunded, and undermanned. In states like Kwara, where communities sprawl over wide unguarded terrains, law enforcement officers are often ill-equipped to respond in real time to fast-moving threats like armed abductions. Vigilante groups and local hunters, who are now playing a more prominent role in community security, face limitations in terms of training, logistics, and support from the government.

Many residents are calling for the state government to act swiftly to provide better protection and emergency infrastructure in rural areas. “We can’t live like this anymore. If a child can be taken just like that and no one stops them, then no one is safe,” said a distraught community elder who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of young Hassana remain unknown. Her family is said to be in shock, struggling to come to terms with the horror of losing their daughter to armed strangers in a matter of minutes. It is unclear whether any contact has been made with the abductors or if a ransom demand has been issued. The police, while promising to keep the public updated, have not disclosed specific leads or suspects as of now.

The latest wave of attacks has intensified the spotlight on the broader crisis of insecurity in Nigeria. While some progress has been made in neutralizing terrorist groups in parts of the North-East, kidnappings for ransom and rural banditry have risen sharply across central and northwestern states, feeding a climate of fear and social instability. The growing sense of impunity among armed groups has also sparked renewed calls for community policing and decentralization of Nigeria’s security architecture.

As Kwara State reels from this double tragedy — the murder of Alhaji Kpotun and the abduction of little Hassana — all eyes are on the authorities to deliver justice swiftly and bring relief to a grieving, frightened population. For now, Hassana’s face has become another symbol of the innocence lost to Nigeria’s worsening security nightmare, and the desperate hope remains that she will be returned alive and unharmed. Until then, the forest looms large and silent, holding secrets that a determined search party must unearth — before it's too late.