Saraki Seeks Federal Intervention After Deadly Kwara Attacks
Former Senate President and prominent opposition figure Abubakar Bukola Saraki has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct national security resources toward stemming a surge of violence in Kwara State, following an attack that killed over 100 people.
The call comes after suspected insurgents raided the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area on Tuesday. The assault, which included the burning of numerous homes, has been labeled a “national disaster” by Saraki, who is a former governor of the state and a national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a formal statement, Saraki argued the crisis exceeds the Kwara State government’s capacity and requires decisive federal action. He specifically requested that President Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief, order the deployment of the Second Mechanised Infantry Division based in Ibadan to establish a permanent security presence in the affected northern and southern senatorial districts. He also called for a coordinated, inter-agency security operation involving all relevant forces to “flush out the bandits.”
Saraki highlighted Kwara’s geographic importance, noting its central location as a bridge between Nigeria’s northern and southwestern regions, its international border with Benin, and its borders with multiple states. He warned that the state must not be allowed to become a “comfort zone” for insurgents fleeing security operations elsewhere in the North Central zone.
“Kwara State is too strategic for this country to allow insurgency to gain ground there,” the statement read, adding that the frequency and scale of recent killings, arson, and displacements are unprecedented for the state, historically known as the “State of Harmony.”
While emphasizing the critical need for federal intervention, Saraki also stated that state and local government councils must fulfil their responsibilities. He framed the attack on Woro as an act of “war against Nigeria” that the nation must win, calling the situation a “national emergency.”
The incident underscores the expanding security challenges in Nigeria’s North Central region and places pressure on the Tinubu administration to address violent extremism in areas previously considered relatively stable. Saraki’s appeal reflects growing concern among regional leaders about the spillover of insecurity from neighbouring states.
