A former presidential candidate in Nigeria has condemned a fatal attack in Kwara State, calling it a stark indicator of deepening rural insecurity and systemic failures in the nation’s security response.
Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issued a statement following the assault on Woro and Nuku villages in Kaiama Local Government Area. The attack, which occurred on Tuesday evening, resulted in at least 75 fatalities, according to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Governor AbdulRazaq described the massacre as a cowardly act by terrorist cells frustrated by local resistance to their attempt to impose an extremist ideology.
Olawepo-Hashim argued that the scale of the violence exposed critical weaknesses in Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly the inability to respond promptly to distress calls from remote communities. He contended that expressions of condolence were insufficient given the severity of the incident.
A central point of his criticism focused on the absence of aerial intervention. He questioned claims that the village’s remoteness prevented a swift response, noting that the Nigerian Air Force maintains an operational base along the Wawa–New Bussa axis, approximately a 15-minute flight from Woro. He drew unfavourable comparisons to historic military operations, asking why the Air Force could conduct missions in neighbouring Benin Republic and West Africa but not deploy to protect citizens within Nigeria’s borders.
He also raised concerns about alleged troop withdrawals, citing reports that security agencies were warned of a threat letter prior to the attack. Olawepo-Hashim demanded accountability, stating, “Nigerians deserve to know who ordered that withdrawal and why.” He noted that security forces reportedly arrived after the assailants had fled, with no arrests days later.
The PDP figure warned that such repeated failures risk driving rural communities toward vigilantism and ethnic self-defence, potentially escalating instability. He called on the federal government and security agencies to publish a detailed operational account, including timelines of distress calls and the rationale for the lack of aerial deployment.
Olawepo-Hashim advocated for reforms, including rapid-response systems, enhanced aerial surveillance, helicopter deployment, and establishing forward operating bases in vulnerable rural zones. He stressed that the Woro massacre must be recognised as part of a troubling expansion of insecurity in Nigeria’s North Central region and that the nation must not normalise mass killings.
The incident underscores persistent challenges in protecting remote populations and has intensified public scrutiny of the security forces’ operational responsiveness and strategic coordination in counter-insurgency efforts.
