Scores Killed as Extremists Strike Kwara Communities

Scores of residents were reportedly killed on Tuesday night after armed extremists launched coordinated attacks on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

In a separate incident, bandits also invaded Abande community in Mbaikyor Ward, Turan District of Kwande Local Government Area in Benue State, leaving several people dead.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, later put the death toll in Kaiama at 75.
The governor made the disclosure on Wednesday evening while addressing community members at the Emir of Kaiama’s palace, stating that those killed were “Muslim natives who were slaughtered for resisting extremist demands and rejecting an alien ideology.”
He also announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the urgent deployment of an Army battalion to the troubled area to carry out counter-offensive operations under a mission named Operation Savannah Shield.

The attack is suspected to be the handiwork of Lakurawa, an armed faction linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, a development that has further heightened public concern over the Federal Government’s security drive.

The lawmaker representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Mohammed Bio, confirmed the incident on Wednesday night but said casualty figures remained unclear due to inconsistent reports from the affected communities.

“There are conflicting reports about the killings. Some of the reports say about 100 people were killed, others say 100 plus, and others say about 160. We don’t have the correct report.“These are reports coming from the communities, but we don’t have the exact figures. There are killings, but no one can ascertain the correct number.

We are calling on the Federal Government to step in and assist us in protecting lives and property. The situation is quite devastating.” Sources within the community said