Ilorin: Fresh details have emerged about the brutal assault on Worro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The coordinated attacks by suspected terrorists began in Worro before spreading to neighbouring Nuku, resulting in at least 75 residents killed.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen first stormed Worro shortly after 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, where they unleashed a wave of violence. The attack then spread to neighbouring Nuku. Survivors described the attackers as heavily armed, moving from house to house and leaving devastation in their wake.
Mr Ali Umar, younger brother to the traditional ruler of Worro, recounted how the assault began: “They came suddenly, shooting indiscriminately. People ran in every direction, but many were caught. It was a nightmare we never imagined.”
The attacks have thrown the communities into mourning. Families are counting their dead, and local leaders are calling for urgent government intervention. Security agencies have deployed reinforcements to the area, but residents say fear still hangs heavy over the villages.
Arriving at 5:00 p.m., the attackers surrounded the community and immediately opened fire from all directions, preventing escape.
They fired sporadically from all directions, preventing escape.
He explained that as the attack unfolded, residents who tried to escape were shot. Those who surrendered were gathered at the village head’s palace. There, they were tied up and subsequently shot.
Umar further revealed that the wife of the traditional ruler, Hauwa Umar, was abducted during the attack. His mother and three of his children were also taken.
His wife, mother, and three children remain missing.
That brings the total to five missing from his household.
The attack caused panic, prompting many residents to flee, leaving the town nearly deserted.
Residents’ fear has emptied the community.
Increased security presence is needed to restore confidence and allow residents to return.
He noted there had been a prior intelligence report of a possible attack. This was communicated to the local government authorities and shared with higher levels of government.
Earlier in the day, some soldiers had patrolled the area. This initial presence deterred the terrorists for a time, but after the patrol left, the attackers returned and launched the assault.
The violence continued in the Nuku community later that same evening, as the attackers moved on from Worro to carry out additional killings in the local government area.
Gov. AbdulRahmanGov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq arrived in Kaiama on Wednesday night. He was accompanied by service chiefs and cabinet members. He confirmed that 75 local Muslims were massacred for refusing to surrender to extremists who preached a strange doctrine.
He commiserated with the communities. He announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the immediate deployment of an army battalion to prosecute counteroffensives in the area.
He said the security initiative was codenamed ‘Operation Sav.’ He added that officials took the injured to the General Hospital. Some were referred to the Teaching Hospital. They condemned the attack. He described the incident as a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells. This followed the ongoing counterterrorism campaigns in parts of the state and the successes recorded so far.
He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Woro and Nuku communities on the incident, especially the families affected in Tuesday’s attack.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Kwara House of Assembly, Mr Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, has also condemned the killings in Woro and Nuku.
In a Wednesday statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdukadir Shehu, the speaker called for the immediate escalation of military operations along the border with Niger.
He said these actions are needed to flush out criminal elements. condemned the senseless violence in the strongest terms. He expressed condolences to the Emir of Kaiama, Dr Muazu Omar, and the families of those affected in the incidents.
“My heart breaks for the Emir of Kaiama and the families who have lost so much to this senseless attack. Their suffering is unimaginable,” he said.
I am calling for intensified military action against the perpetrators. I urge our communities to cooperate fully with security agencies to end these killings once and for all,” he said.
The speaker further issued a note of caution to residents, urging them to remain vigilant and alert.
He noted that as military pressure increases across various parts of the state, “elements of destabilisation” may attempt to divert attention or seek refuge. He reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to support all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of lives and property in Kwara.