Nearly 200 individuals have lost their lives in separate assaults carried out by armed assailants in isolated villages in central and northern Nigeria, as confirmed by a local legislator, residents, and law enforcement on Wednesday. The attacks sparked a search for survivors and a pursuit of the perpetrators.
In central Kwara state, the Woro community fell victim to a brutal attack on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of at least 170 people, as reported by the area’s lawmaker, Saidu Baba Ahmed. This incident marked the deadliest assault in the region this year, occurring near Niger state, an area increasingly plagued by marauding gunmen engaging in village raids, abductions, and livestock plunder.
According to Ahmed, the attackers herded residents, tied their hands behind their backs, and carried out executions. He provided Reuters with images of the deceased, although the authenticity could not be immediately confirmed by the news agency. Villagers sought refuge in the nearby bush during the onslaught, while the gunmen set fire to homes and shops.
While the police acknowledged that “scores were killed,” they refrained from disclosing a specific figure. Ahmed disclosed, “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.” Several individuals remained unaccounted for as of Wednesday morning.
Residents recounted to Reuters that during a sermon, the gunmen demanded the locals renounce their loyalty to the Nigerian state in favor of Sharia Islamic law. When the villagers resisted, the militants resorted to gunfire. Kwara police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed that security forces have been deployed to conduct a search-and-rescue mission in the area but did not provide casualty figures.
The Red Cross secretary in Kwara state, Ayodeji Emmanuel Babaomo, informed The Associated Press that a large group of men launched the attack, resulting in multiple casualties. However, due to the area’s remote location, precise numbers were unavailable. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the violence as a “cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells” in response to anti-extremist military operations in the state.
Nigeria is grappling with a multifaceted security crisis, encompassing Islamic insurgency in the northeast, a surge in ransom kidnappings by gunmen across various regions, and intercommunal conflicts in central states. Lawmaker Mohammed Omar Bio attributed the attacks in Woro and Nuku to the Lakurawa, an armed faction linked to the Islamic State group, while researcher James Barnett suggested a Boko Haram faction as the likely perpetrators.
In a separate incident in Katsina state, gunmen executed at least 21 individuals by moving from house to house, breaching a six-month peace agreement with the community. This incident underscored the challenging circumstances faced by residents in Nigeria’s remote north, where some engage in negotiation tactics with armed groups to maintain peace. Last week, armed extremists in northeastern Nigeria claimed the lives of at least 36 people in separate attacks.
Nigeria faces mounting pressure to enhance security following accusations by former U.S. President Donald Trump of inadequate protection for Christians amid Islamist assaults and mass abductions. In response, U.S. forces conducted strikes on alleged terrorist targets on December 25. Nigerian authorities have refuted claims of systematic persecution of Christians and are collaborating with the U.S. to bolster security measures.