Islamist militants slaughtered 75 Muslims in a remote area of central Kwara State after they rejected the group’s radical teachings, prompting the local governor to denounce the killings as a desperate bid to divert security forces from ongoing anti-terror operations.
The assault targeted the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama district, where victims were executed “simply for refusing to surrender to extremists who preached a strange doctrine,” according to a statement from the Kwara government.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the attack as a “cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following the ongoing counterterrorism campaigns in parts of the state and the successes so far recorded.”
He added that the violence aimed “to distract security forces who have successfully hunted down several terrorist and kidnapping gangs across many parts of the state.”
AbdulRazaq visited the affected area on Wednesday evening to offer condolences to survivors and relatives, as President Bola Tinubu authorized the swift mobilization of an army battalion for a counteroffensive dubbed “Operation Savannah Shield.”
How terrorists killed 75 in Kwara communities — Victim’s family
A younger brother of the traditional ruler of Woro, Mr Ali Umar, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the attackers invaded the community shortly after 5pm.
He said the attackers arrived on motorcycles and surrounded the community before opening fire from different directions.
“They came around 5pm and completely surrounded the community.
“They started shooting sporadically from all angles so nobody could escape,” he said.
Umar explained that residents who attempted to flee were shot, while those who surrendered were gathered at the palace of the village head, where they were tied up and shot.
He further revealed that the wife of the traditional ruler of the community, Hauwa Umar, his mother, and three of his children were among those abducted during the attack.
“The chief’s wife, his mother and three of his children are missing.
“That makes five people from his household unaccounted for,” he added.
Umar said the community was thrown into panic, with many residents fleeing their homes and leaving the town almost deserted.
“The people were scared, and the community is now nearly empty.
“What we need now is increased security presence to restore confidence and allow people to return,” he said.
He noted that there had been prior intelligence reports of a possible attack, which were reportedly communicated to the local government authorities and shared with higher levels of government.
Umar added that some soldiers had earlier patrolled the area on the day of the attack, saying this had initially deterred the terrorists.
ANN/NAN
