Kwara terrorists attack; 75 massacred, chief’s family abducted

Deadly Attack on Nigerian Communities Prompts Military Deployment

Suspected terrorists attacked the Worro and Nuku communities in Nigeria’s Kwara State on Tuesday, resulting in significant casualties and abductions, according to eyewitness and official reports.

The assault began shortly after 5:00 p.m. when armed men on motorcycles surrounded the Worro community, opening fire from multiple directions. Ali Umar, younger brother to the community’s traditional ruler, described a scene of chaos. “They started shooting sporadically from all angles so nobody could escape,” he said. Residents who attempted to flee were shot, while others who surrendered were reportedly gathered at the palace of the village head, tied up, and killed.

Umar confirmed that five members of the traditional ruler’s household are missing, including his wife, mother, and three children. The attack left the community nearly deserted as residents fled in panic. Umar noted that while soldiers had patrolled the area earlier in the day—a move that initially deterred the attackers—there had been prior intelligence reports of a possible threat communicated to local and state authorities.

The violence also extended to the nearby Nuku community, where further killings were reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq visited the Kaiama Local Government Area on Wednesday night, confirming that at least 75 local Muslims were massacred after refusing to comply with an extremist ideology. He announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate deployment of an army battalion to the region under a new counterterrorism initiative codenamed ‘Operation Savannah Shield’. The governor condemned the attacks as a “cowardly expression of frustration” by terrorist cells responding to ongoing security operations in the state.

The Speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, also issued