By Ayomide Otitoju
Tragedy struck Lile village in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday night, as suspected bandits fatally shot a prominent businessman and PDP Lade Ward 1 leader, Alhaji Abdullahi Kpotun, along with his son, during a foiled kidnapping attempt.
According to local sources, the assailants stormed Kpotun’s residence under the cover of darkness. What began as an abduction quickly turned deadly, leaving both father and son dead.
Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen also attacked other homes in the village. “It was not only his family the bandits attacked last night. They killed another person in a separate house,” one resident said.
Reacting to the incident, former Senate President Bukola Saraki expressed deep sorrow and outrage. In a statement issued by his Press Officer on Local Matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, Saraki described the killings as “barbaric, painful, and unacceptable.”
“I am heartbroken by the news of the gruesome killing of Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu Kpotun and his son. My thoughts and prayers are with their family and the Patigi community during this difficult time,” Saraki said.
He urged security agencies and the Kwara State Government to take decisive steps against the rising wave of insecurity. “The tide of violence must not be allowed to continue. Immediate and bold action is required to restore safety across the state,” he added.
