Kwara State Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said Wednesday that at least 75 residents were killed when suspected terrorists attacked two villages in Kaiama Local Government Area for resisting what he described as an extremist and “strange doctrine.”
AbdulRazaq spoke during a visit to the area alongside security chiefs and cabinet members, describing the killings as a cowardly act by terrorist cells frustrated by the villagers’ refusal to submit to their ideology.
The attack targeted the villages of Woro and Nuku on Tuesday evening. Gunmen reportedly rounded up residents, tied their hands and opened fire.
Police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed the attack, saying it began around 6 p.m. Tuesday. She said security agencies had been deployed to the area, but the exact number of casualties had yet to be confirmed and investigations were ongoing to determine the number of missing persons.
The governor, however, said 75 people were killed in the assault.
A video shared on the Kwara State government’s X account showed AbdulRazaq at a traditional palace, flanked by military officers and community leaders, as he condoled with residents and announced federal intervention.
“We commiserate with you over the death of 75 of your subjects. May Allah grant them aljana Firdaus,” the governor said. He added that the villagers were attacked for refusing to abandon their religious beliefs or accept alterations imposed by the extremists.
“This is different from what we used to see, where people are kidnapped or communities ransacked,” AbdulRazaq said. “This was a pure massacre, and it is strongly condemned.”
He announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved the immediate deployment of an army battalion under Operation Savannah Shield to carry out counter-offensive operations against those responsible for the attack.
