More than 100 people were feared dead on Tuesday night following coordinated attacks on communities in Kwara and Benue states, in one of the deadliest episodes of violence in Nigeria in recent months. While local reports and humanitarian sources put the casualty figure far higher, the Kwara State Government has confirmed at least 75 deaths.
The attacks occurred in Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, where armed militants stormed villages, opened fire on residents and set properties ablaze. Several people were also killed in a separate assault on Abande community in Mbaikyor Ward, Turan, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, where bandits reportedly struck late Tuesday.
Addressing residents on Wednesday night at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confirmed the death of 75 people in Kaiama. He described the victims as “local Muslims massacred for refusing to surrender to extremists preaching a strange doctrine.”
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The governor said the attack was carried out by what the state government termed “terrorist cells” operating in the area. He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the immediate deployment of an Army battalion to Kaiama and surrounding communities to restore order and prevent further bloodshed.
According to AbdulRazaq, the military operation, code-named Operation Savannah Shield, would involve sustained counter-offensives against armed groups believed to be hiding in nearby forests.
However, humanitarian sources gave a much higher death toll. A senior official of the Red Cross in Kwara State, Babaomo Ayodeji, said on Wednesday that at least 162 bodies had so far been recovered, adding that the figure could rise as search and rescue efforts continued.
“Reports said that the death toll now stands at 162, as the search for more bodies continues,” Ayodeji said, updating earlier estimates.
Earlier, a lawmaker representing the Kaiama area, Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, told journalists that between 35 and 40 bodies were initially counted shortly after the attack, warning that many victims had fled into the bush with gunshot wounds.
“The gunmen invaded Woro village at about 6:00 pm on Tuesday,” Ahmed said. “They burnt shops and the king’s palace. Many others escaped into the bush, and more bodies may still be found.”
Police authorities confirmed the attack but declined to provide official casualty figures. The whereabouts of the traditional ruler of Woro, Alhaji Salihu Umar, remained unclear as of Wednesday night.
The Kwara attack came amid intensified military operations in the state. Last month, the Nigerian Army announced what it described as “sustained coordinated offensive operations against terrorist elements” in parts of Kwara, claiming significant success. Local media reported that up to 150 bandits were neutralised, while the military said it had destroyed remote camps and logistics hubs previously inaccessible to security forces.
In a related incident on Tuesday, suspected bandits killed 23 civilians in Katsina State in what security sources described as reprisal attacks following air force strikes that reportedly killed 27 militants.
Nigeria has continued to grapple with multiple security crises, including banditry in the northwest and north-central regions, intercommunal violence, and jihadist insurgency. Attacks intensified last year after the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked group, claimed responsibility for its first attack on Nigerian soil in Kwara State.
Security analysts have warned of growing overlap between jihadist groups and bandit networks, particularly in forested border areas. Researcher Brant Philip noted that the latest Kaiama attack occurred just four kilometres from the site of a previous JNIM assault, suggesting a possible convergence of extremist groups.
Despite international scrutiny — including controversial claims by former US President Donald Trump alleging religiously motivated killings — experts and Nigerian authorities insist that the violence cuts across religious lines, affecting both Muslims and Christians.
As troops move into Kaiama and surrounding communities, residents are bracing for days of uncertainty, hoping the latest military deployment will bring lasting relief rather than temporary calm.
