By Amofokhai Williams
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State following one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in recent years that claimed scores of lives in remote villages in the region.
The assault on Tuesday in the villages of Woro and nearby Nuku saw armed militants suspected to be jihadists execute residents, torch homes and force survivors into surrounding bushland.
Local lawmakers and relief agencies reported that at least 160 people were killed in the coordinated attacks, making it one of the most lethal violence episodes in the country this year.
The assailants reportedly rounded up villagers, bound them and opened fire on those refusing to adopt extremist demands, according to Reuters and the Associated Press.
Responding to the massacre, Tinubu described the attackers as “cowardly and beastly” for targeting defenceless civilians and condemned their attempt to coerce locals into violent ideologies under the guise of religion.
He reiterated that the victims, many of whom practised a peaceful form of Islam, had rejected extremist indoctrination before being killed.
To counter the growing threat, the President directed the newly deployed troops to spearhead Operation Savannah Shield, a military initiative aimed at neutralising the terrorists and safeguarding vulnerable communities across Kwara State.
Tinubu also urged a coordinated effort between federal and state agencies to deliver immediate relief to affected residents and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.
In a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu offered prayers for the repose of the deceased and extended deepest condolences to their families and the government of Kwara State.
The attacks in Woro and Nuku underscore a worrying expansion of extremist violence beyond Nigeria’s traditional northeastern hotspots, where groups like Boko Haram and affiliates have waged a longstanding insurgency.
Recent security assessments have noted the increasing vulnerability of North-Central and North-West communities to such incursions, partly due to porous borders with neighbouring countries and complex local security gaps.
