At least 162 people have been confirmed dead following a brutal armed attack on Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, making it the deadliest single assault reported in Nigeria so far this year.
The attack occurred on Tuesday evening when gunmen stormed the rural community, opening fire on residents and setting homes, shops, and key buildings ablaze.
Babaomo Ayodeji, secretary of the Red Cross in Kwara State, said the confirmed death toll rose sharply as recovery efforts continued into Wednesday.
“Reports said that the death toll now stands at 162, as the search for more bodies continues,” Ayodeji said.
Local officials warned that the figure could still rise as several residents remain missing and many fled into nearby bushland with gunshot wounds.
The Nigerian police confirmed that the attack took place but declined to release an official casualty figure.
Residents described the assault as sudden, coordinated, and devastating, leaving large sections of the village destroyed and families wiped out within hours.
Gunmen Storm Woro Village During Evening Sermon
Witnesses said the attackers arrived in Woro village at about 6:00 pm on Tuesday, when many residents were gathered for evening activities.
According to Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, a politician from the Kaiama area, the assailants rounded up villagers before opening fire.
“Gunmen tied people’s hands and shot them,” Ahmed told Reuters.
He added that houses, shops, and the palace of the village’s traditional ruler were set ablaze during the assault.
“As I’m speaking to you now, I’m in the village along with military personnel, sorting dead bodies and combing the surrounding areas for more,” he said.
Residents said many villagers escaped into surrounding forests despite sustaining gunshot wounds.
Several people were still missing as of Wednesday afternoon, including the traditional ruler of Woro, identified by the Red Cross as Alhaji Salihu Umar.
Survivors told reporters that the attackers identified themselves as jihadists who had previously visited the village to preach.
According to residents, the gunmen demanded that villagers renounce allegiance to the Nigerian state and submit to Sharia law.
When the community resisted those demands, the attackers reportedly opened fire during a sermon.
Governor, Presidency, and ACF Condemn Attack
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the killings as a deliberate act of terror linked to ongoing security operations in the state.
“This is a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following the ongoing counterterrorism campaigns in parts of the state,” the governor said.
Earlier, AbdulRazaq had confirmed the deaths of at least 75 people while addressing residents at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama.
“They were local Muslims massacred for refusing to surrender to extremists preaching a strange doctrine,” he said.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the immediate deployment of an army battalion to the area under Operation Savannah Shield.
The directive was announced in a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu condemned the attack as “cowardly and beastly,” accusing the attackers of targeting defenceless villagers.
“It is commendable that the community members refused to be conscripted into a strange belief that promotes violence rather than peace and dialogue,” the President said.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kwara State Chapter, also issued a statement condemning the killings.
“This heinous and senseless act is deeply troubling, unacceptable, and a grave affront to humanity,” the group said.
The ACF called for a swift investigation and justice for the victims.
Rising Insecurity and Military Operations in Kwara
Parts of Nigeria continue to face violent attacks linked to armed bandits, intercommunal conflicts, and jihadist groups operating across several regions.
In Kwara State, the military recently launched sustained operations against what it described as terrorist elements.
In January, the army said it had carried out coordinated offensives that destroyed remote camps and disrupted militant logistics.
Local media reported that up to 150 fighters were “neutralised,” a term used to indicate they were killed.
Security analysts have linked the Woro attack to a growing overlap between jihadist groups operating in Nigeria.
Researcher Brant Philip noted that the attack occurred just four kilometres from a site previously targeted by the al-Qaeda–affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
The Nigerian government has rejected claims of religiously targeted violence, insisting that both Christians and Muslims are victims of the country’s wider security crisis.
With curfews imposed and schools recently reopened after closures, residents now fear further attacks unless security gains are sustained.
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