The Kwara massacre left 75 people dead as militants attacked Kaiama communities, prompting troop deployment and renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s security strategy
The Kwara massacre claimed at least 75 lives on Tuesday night after suspected Islamic militants attacked Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, while a separate bandit assault killed several residents in Benue State, authorities said on Wednesday.
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Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confirmed the death toll while addressing residents at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama, describing the victims as local Muslims killed for refusing to submit to extremist ideology.
AbdulRazaq said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the immediate deployment of an Army battalion to the area to launch counter offensives under an operation code named Operation Savannah Shield.
The attack is believed to have been carried out by Lakurawa, an armed group linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, raising fresh concerns about the spread of extremist violence across Nigeria’s north central region.
Mohammed Bio, the lawmaker representing the area in the House of Representatives, confirmed the assault but said casualty figures remained uncertain due to conflicting reports from affected villages.
Residents said the attackers had earlier moved through border settlements in neighbouring Niger State, preaching against Nigeria’s constitution and urging adherence to Islamic law before opening fire when challenged in Woro and Nuku.
Community sources claimed the death toll could be higher than officially reported, alleging that dozens of victims were buried in a mass grave in Woro on Wednesday afternoon.
Survivors described a harrowing ordeal. The head of Woro village, Alhaji Umar Tanko, told local officials that he lost two sons and a daughter during the attack, while his junior wife was abducted.
Another resident, Razaq Abdulazeez, said families fled towards nearby bushes as gunmen fired indiscriminately, forcing some people to climb trees to escape.
Political leaders across party lines condemned the violence.
The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi Salihu, urged intensified military action along the Niger border axis, while Senator Saliu Mustapha called for increased troop deployment to vulnerable communities.
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party described the killings as despicable and warned that insecurity required decisive leadership beyond condolence messages.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki labelled the Kwara massacre a national disaster, arguing that the scale of violence had exceeded the capacity of the state government and now required direct federal intervention.
Military personnel and forest guards have since taken control of Woro and Nuku, as the state government confirmed ongoing counter terrorism operations in forest and rural areas prone to militant infiltration.
Meanwhile, in Benue State, suspected bandits attacked Abande community in Kwande Local Government Area on Tuesday, killing residents and a police officer during a market day assault.
Authorities said joint security teams had been deployed to prevent further attacks.
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The latest incidents come amid escalating insecurity across several states, with hundreds killed or abducted in recent weeks, intensifying public scrutiny of the Federal Government’s security strategy and response capacity.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
