Forest guard dies in Kwara forest clash with bandits

…as police dismiss bandit attack on Koro community

One of the newly deployed forest guards assigned to tackle banditry in Kwara State has been killed during a security operation in the forest.

The incident occurred on Sunday in Koro community, Ekiti Local Government Area of the state, after forest guards and local vigilantes acted on intelligence reports about the presence of suspected armed men in the bush.

Sources said the operatives moved into the area to confront the suspects but were ambushed during the encounter. A forest guard, identified simply as Samuel, was shot and later confirmed dead.

The clash also reportedly led to the burning of more than five motorcycles, sparking panic among residents of Koro community.
Confirming the incident, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, clarified that the situation was not an attack on the community by bandits.

“It was not that gunmen attacked Koro,” Ojo said on Sunday night. “The forest guards and vigilantes received information about suspected gunmen in the bush with some cows and moved in without informing the police.”

According to the police commissioner, the slain guard’s AK-47 rifle and 15 rounds of ammunition were recovered intact, noting that the weapons were not taken away.

“So, I believe it was a case of friendly fire,” Ojo added, stressing that bandits did not invade Koro community.