The discovery of two corpses in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State following exchange of gunshots between members of a local vigilance group and some gunmen has heightened tension in the council area.

DSP Ajayi Okesanmi, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Police Command, has already confirmed the recovery of the two corpses.

Okasanmi said five suspects had been arrested and were assisting the police in their investigation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the local vigilance group in the area recorded casualties in an attempt to dislodge the gunmen from their camp at the centre of the 50km National Park located in the area.

A source told NAN that the gunmen often dispossess residents of the communities in the area of their belongings, particularly food, livestock and cash.

The source, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the hoodlums attack people in Tungan Maje, Woro and Nukku after mounting a roadblock.

The source said the weapons used by the gunmen were more sophisticated than the ones used by members of the local vigilance group.

The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, told NAN that the deployment of members of the local vigilance group was for surveillance to prevent further attacks on communities in the area.

“Unfortunately, when the vigilance group members approached the gunmen in their camp, they killed one vigilance group member while three others are missing,” Abubakar said.