162 Feared Dèad in Devastating Kwara State Attàck

Coordinated assaults on two villages in Kwara State have left at least 162 people dead, constituting one of the most lethal terrorist attacks in Nigeria this year.

The attacks targeted Woro and Nuku villages in Kaiama Local Government Area on Tuesday. The death toll, confirmed by local lawmaker Mohammed Omar Bio by Wednesday afternoon, stood at 162. He attributed the violence to the Lakurawa, an armed faction linked to the Islamic State, though no group has formally claimed responsibility.

Eyewitness accounts describe gunmen storming the communities, rounding up residents, binding their hands, and executing them. The assailants also reportedly set homes and shops ablaze during the rampage.

Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, a local politician from Kaiama, reported that many wounded survivors fled into the surrounding bush. Several individuals, including the village’s traditional ruler, remain unaccounted for.

Residents stated the attackers were jihadists who had previously preached in the area, demanding that villagers renounce loyalty to the Nigerian government and adopt strict Sharia law. When the community resisted, the gunmen allegedly opened fire.

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, condemned the massacre as a “cowardly” act by terrorist cells, suggesting it was a reaction to intensified military operations in the region. Kwara borders Niger State, where armed militant activity has increased in recent years. The Nigerian military has confirmed ongoing operations against terrorist groups in the area.

In a related incident on Tuesday, gunmen killed at least 13 people in Doma village, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, underscoring the persistent wave of violence afflicting northern Nigeria.