The Federal Government is facing renewed scrutiny over the country’s security situation following deadly attacks on communities in Kwara and Benue states, with more than 100 people feared killed** in Kwara alone.
The attacks occurred on Tuesday night when suspected Islamic extremists stormed Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. Several others were also killed the same day after bandits attacked Abande community in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, confirmed that 75 persons were killed in the Kaiama attack. Speaking on Wednesday at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama, the governor said the victims were local Muslims who were allegedly massacred for refusing to submit to extremists preaching a “strange doctrine.”
According to the governor, President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate deployment of an Army battalion to the affected area under a counter-offensive operation code-named **Operation Savannah Shield**.
Security sources believe the attackers are members of Lakurawa, an armed group linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, raising concerns about the expansion of extremist activities into North-Central Nigeria.
The lawmaker representing the area in the House of Representatives, Mohammed Bio, confirmed the attack but said casualty figures remained unclear due to conflicting reports from affected communities.
“Some reports say about 100 people were killed, others say over 150. We do not yet have exact figures,” Bio said, calling on the Federal Government to urgently protect lives and property in the area.
Residents told The PUNCH that the death toll might be higher than officially stated, alleging that about 70 victims were buried in a mass grave in Woro community on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers had earlier visited border communities in neighbouring Niger State, preaching that residents should reject Nigeria’s constitution and embrace Islamic law. Trouble reportedly began when residents of Woro and Nuku challenged the message.
“They opened fire on the gathering and shot indiscriminately,” a resident said.
Survivors recounted harrowing experiences. The village head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Tanko, said he lost two sons and a daughter, while his wife and two others were abducted.
In response, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, called for intensified military operations along the Niger border, while Senator Saliu Mustapha (Kwara Central) urged the deployment of more troops.
Opposition parties also condemned the killings. The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the attack as “gruesome and inhuman,” accusing the state government of offering only sympathy without decisive action. The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) similarly called for an overhaul of the nation’s security architecture.
Meanwhile, soldiers and forest guards have taken over Woro and Nuku communities, while the Nigerian Army has intensified operations across forested border areas.
In Benue State, suspected bandits attacked Abande community during a market day, killing several residents, including a police officer. Casualty figures remained disputed, with estimates ranging between five and 17 deaths. Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The latest attacks come amid rising insecurity across the North-Central and North-West regions. Findings indicate that over 270 people have been killed and more than 250 abducted in terror-related attacks across several states in the past four weeks.
Former Kwara State Governor and ex-Senate President, Bukola Saraki, described the Woro killings as a “national disaster,” urging President Tinubu to order direct federal intervention and prevent insurgents fleeing other states from gaining a foothold in Kwara.
“These criminals have waged war against Nigeria,” Saraki said. “It is a war the country must win without delay.”
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