Relatives of victims have described how suspected terrorists invaded the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, surrounding the villages and shooting residents in an attack that killed at least 75 people and led to multiple abductions, officials said.
On Tuesday afternoon, assailants believed to be linked to an extremist group attacked the Woro and Nuku communities, arriving on motorcycles and opening fire from multiple directions, according to accounts relayed by family members to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Suspected terrorists and armed groups have carried out violent assaults on remote communities in parts of northern and central Nigeria in recent years, often targeting residents in largely rural areas with limited security presence.
A younger brother of the traditional ruler of Woro, identified as Ali Umar, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the attackers surrounded the community shortly after 5 p.m. and began shooting sporadically from all angles so that residents could not escape.
Umar said that residents who attempted to flee were shot, while those who surrendered were tied up and killed at the palace of the village head.
He also reported that five members of the traditional ruler’s household, including his wife, mother and three children, were abducted during the attack.
In reaction to the incident, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confirmed that 75 local residents were killed after resisting extremist doctrines preached by the attackers.
He condemned the violence and said that security forces, including an army battalion, were being deployed to the area under “Operation Savannah Shield” to prevent further attacks.
Umar described the impact of the assault on the affected communities, saying the attacks caused panic and mass displacement, with many residents fleeing their homes and leaving the villages nearly deserted.
“The people were scared, and the community is now nearly empty,” he said.
The attack highlights persistent insecurity in parts of central Nigeria, where communities have faced recurring raids by armed groups, often resulting in loss of life, abductions and displacement of residents. Increased deployment of military forces aims to stabilise the area and prevent further attacks.
Family accounts and official confirmations affirm the scale of the violence and the humanitarian impact on affected villages, underlining the need for enhanced security measures and support for survivors.
