At least 162 residents of Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State were killed on Tuesday after gunmen carried out what officials and residents have described as the most devastating armed attack recorded in the state this year.
The casualty figure was confirmed by the Red Cross and corroborated by local authorities, as survivors narrated chilling accounts of executions, widespread arson and a community left in ruins.
The Secretary of the Kwara State chapter of the Red Cross, Babaomo Ayodeji, said the number of confirmed fatalities stood at 162 as of Wednesday afternoon. A local political figure, however, told Reuters that the death toll could be higher, estimating that as many as 170 people may have been killed.
Providing details of the assault, Sa’idu Ahmed, a politician from the Kaiama axis, told journalists that the attackers gathered villagers together, restrained them and carried out executions before setting homes and shops on fire.
“I am in the village along with military personnel, sorting dead bodies and searching nearby areas,” Ahmed said.
He added that many residents sustained gunshot wounds while fleeing into nearby bushes, and that several people remained unaccounted for, including the traditional ruler of the community.
Residents accused the attackers of being jihadists who had earlier visited the village to preach, urging inhabitants to abandon loyalty to the Nigerian state and submit to Sharia law. According to eyewitnesses, the violence erupted when villagers resisted the demand, with the gunmen allegedly opening fire during a sermon.
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On Wednesday, at least 75 of those killed were laid to rest in a mass burial at the Woro community. A government official, who requested anonymity, said although reports suggested the death toll had crossed 150, “75 victims were given mass burial this afternoon (Wednesday).”
The Chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area, Abubakar Danladi, led a government delegation to the community during the burial rites.
One of the survivors and the village head of Woro, Umar Tanko, said he was not at home when the attack occurred but lost close family members in the violence.
He said “I was away at my shop where I sell goods when an army of bandits arrived at my residence on Tuesday evening. My daughter and two sons were shot dead, while my second wife and two others were abducted.”
Another survivor, Razaq Abdulazeez, who lives on the outskirts of the town, described how he and his family narrowly escaped death.
“I was returning home from work when I saw many people running towards the outskirts of the town. I asked what happened and was told they were escaping the wrath of bandits who had come to attack the community.
“I rushed to my house, packed my family members, and we escaped into the deep bush on the outskirts of the town. Many people who could not run out of town climbed trees to avoid the bandits’, he said.
Among those confirmed dead was Salihu Bio Khalid, a student of the Kwara State College of Nursing Sciences (KWASCONS). Khalid, a midwifery student and former President of the Student Union Government, was reportedly killed alongside his brother.
Reacting to the tragedy, the National Association of Nigeria Comrades (NANC), Kwara Axis, described the killings as devastating and called for improved security measures, a comprehensive investigation and justice for the victims.
The Kwara State Government also confirmed the attack in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye. According to the statement, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq mourned the victims, describing the assault as a cowardly act and evidence of desperation by terrorist groups following sustained counterterrorism efforts in the state.
In separate reactions, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, and the senator representing Kwara Central, Senator Saliu Mustapha, urged the Federal Government to intensify military operations and deploy additional troops to vulnerable communities in the area.
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