BY GODWIN OBI
Fresh waves of violent attacks in Kwara and Benue states have intensified public outrage over Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, with more than 100 persons feared killed in coordinated assaults on rural communities.
In Kwara State, suspected Islamic extremists on Tuesday night attacked Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, leaving scores of residents dead. While local sources put the death toll at over 100, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confirmed that at least 75 people were killed.
The governor disclosed the figure on Wednesday during a visit to the palace of the Emir of Kaiama, describing the victims as “local Muslims who were massacred for refusing to submit to extremists preaching a strange ideology.”
According to AbdulRazaq, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate deployment of an Army battalion to the area to launch counter-offensive operations under a new security initiative code-named Operation Savannah Shield.
Security sources believe the attack was carried out by Lakurawa, an armed group linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, raising renewed concerns about the expansion of extremist cells into Nigeria’s North-Central region.
The lawmaker representing the area in the House of Representatives, Mohammed Bio, confirmed the attack to Frontline Reporters but said the exact casualty figure remained unclear due to conflicting reports from the affected communities.
“There are varying accounts—some say about 100 were killed, others say over 160. What is clear is that there was a massive loss of lives,” Bio said, calling on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to protect vulnerable communities.
Community sources told Frontline Reporters that the death toll may be higher than officially acknowledged, with about 70 victims reportedly buried in a mass grave in Woro community on Wednesday.
Residents said the attackers had earlier moved through border villages in neighbouring Niger State, preaching against Nigeria’s constitutional order and urging residents to adopt strict Islamic law.
“When they brought the same message to Woro and Nuku, people challenged them. That was when they opened fire, shooting indiscriminately,” a resident said.
Another source disclosed that the group had earlier been chased out of Baburasa community in the Borgu axis after the village head rejected their message.
Security analysts believe the attackers are operating from forested areas around Borgu, exploiting porous borders and weak surveillance to expand sleeper operations.
Survivors recount horror
Survivors described scenes of terror as gunmen stormed the communities. The village head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Tanko, told local authorities that he lost two sons and a daughter, while his junior wife and two others were abducted.
“I was in my shop when they arrived. They shot my children and took my wife away,” he said.
Another resident, Razaq Abdulazeez, said many villagers fled into surrounding bushes, while others climbed trees to escape the attackers.
Political leaders react
The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, called for intensified military operations along the Niger border axis, urging communities to cooperate fully with security agencies.
Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central, also called for the deployment of additional troops, describing the attack as a grim reminder of the country’s fragile security situation.
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the killings, describing them as “despicable and inhuman,” and accused the state government of offering sympathy without decisive action.
Former Senate President and ex-governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, described the massacre as a national emergency, saying the scale of the violence had overwhelmed the capacity of the state government.
In a statement, Saraki called for direct federal intervention, including the deployment of troops from the Second Mechanised Infantry Division in Ibadan and the establishment of permanent military bases in affected areas.
“What happened in Woro is a war against Nigeria. It is a war the country must win without delay,” he said.
Opposition parties, including the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), also condemned the attacks and urged the Federal Government to urgently overhaul the nation’s security architecture, including the use of advanced surveillance and drone technology.
Security takeover confirmed
Military personnel and forest guards have since taken over Woro and Nuku communities, according to local government sources. The Kwara State Government confirmed the attack in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, who said the assault was a reaction to recent security gains against terrorist groups.
“The governor condemns the cowardly attack and expresses deep condolences to the affected communities,” the statement said, adding that security operations had been intensified.
Benue attack
Meanwhile, in Benue State, several people, including a mobile police officer, were killed on Tuesday when suspected bandits attacked Abande community in Mbaikyor Ward, Turan, Kwande Local Government Area.
The attack occurred on a market day, triggering chaos as gunmen opened fire, looted stalls and set parts of the market ablaze. Casualty figures remain disputed, with estimates ranging between five and 17 deaths.
Benue State Police confirmed that a police officer and four civilians were killed. Additional security personnel have been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks.
Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the Benue attack, describing it as “an assault on humanity,” and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
Rising toll
Investigations by Frontline Reporters indicate that at least 271 people have been killed and 253 abducted in terrorist and bandit attacks across several states—including Niger, Kaduna, Kwara, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara—within the past four weeks.
The surge in violence has renewed pressure on the Federal Government to reassess its security strategy as rural communities continue to bear the brunt of escalating attacks.
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