A brutal Kwara State terrorist attack struck the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area on Tuesday evening. Gunmen on motorcycles surrounded Woro shortly after 5 p.m. and opened fire from all directions. Because residents had no escape route, many who tried to flee were shot. Meanwhile, those who surrendered met a grim fate—they were tied up at the village head’s palace and then executed.
Ali Umar, the younger brother of Woro’s traditional ruler, described the horror to the News Agency of Nigeria. He explained that the attackers left the community in panic. As a result, most residents fled, and the town now stands nearly empty.
Tragically, five members of the royal household are missing. They include the chief’s wife Hauwa Umar, his mother, and three children. “That makes five people from his household unaccounted for,” Umar said.
He also revealed that security forces had patrolled the area earlier that day. Initially, this presence seemed to delay the attack—but ultimately, it did not stop it. Furthermore, Umar confirmed that local authorities had received prior intelligence about a possible assault.
In Nuku, another nearby community, gunmen carried out additional killings. Officials are still verifying the full death toll.
On Wednesday night, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq visited Kaiama with military and cabinet officials. There, he confirmed that extremists massacred 75 local Muslims because they refused to submit to a “strange doctrine.”
In response, the governor announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved an immediate army deployment. The military will now launch Operation Savannah Shield, a targeted counterterrorism mission in the region.
“The injured went to the General Hospital,” AbdulRazaq said. “Medical teams later transferred some to the Teaching Hospital.” He called the attack a “cowardly expression of frustration” by terrorists who are losing ground due to ongoing security operations.
Meanwhile, Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu strongly condemned the violence. In a statement, he urged faster military action along the Niger border to “flush out criminal elements.”
He expressed deep condolences to the Emir of Kaiama, Dr. Muazu Omar, and the victims’ families. “I am calling for intensified military action against the perpetrators,” he said. He also urged communities to cooperate fully with security forces.
Moreover, the speaker warned residents to stay vigilant. As troops increase pressure elsewhere, he noted, “elements of destabilisation” may try to hide or strike in new areas.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to restoring peace. For now, survivors of the Kwara State terrorist attack await protection—and justice.
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