Nursing student, brother among victims of Kwara bandit attack

 

A Midwifery student at the Kwara State College of Nursing Sciences (KWASCONS), Salihu Bio Khalid, has been identified as one of the victims of Tuesday night’s banditry attack in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. His brother was also reportedly killed in the same attack, which left scores of residents dead.

Khalid, a former President of the Student Union Government (SUG) at KWASCONS, was described by the student body as a committed and courageous leader whose dedication to student welfare and service left a lasting impact.

In a statement, the National Association of Nigeria Comrades (NANC) Kwara Axis expressed shock and mourning over the tragedy. The association called for urgent action to protect students and residents, urging the Kwara State Government and security agencies to strengthen security around student-populated areas, major transit routes, and to conduct thorough investigations to bring perpetrators to justice.

“Senator Salihu Bio Khalid’s contributions to the student movement will remain indelible in our collective memory,” the statement read. “We pray Almighty God grants the departed eternal rest and gives the bereaved family and the entire student community the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, condemned the attack and called for intensified military action along the axis bordering Niger State to flush out criminal elements. He urged local communities to cooperate fully with security agencies to curb the insecurity.

Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central at the National Assembly, also called for additional troops to the affected communities. In a press release, he described the attack as a “senseless act” and emphasized the need for unity, vigilance, and stronger community cooperation to combat banditry.

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the attack as “despicable, inhuman and callous,” urging the state government to provide humanitarian aid, relief materials, and medical support to the victims while ensuring security agencies track down and prosecute the perpetrators.

The incident has plunged KWASCONS and the wider student community across Kwara State into grief, highlighting ongoing concerns over insecurity in the region.