Fear and mourning enveloped Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday evening after armed bandits carried out a deadly raid that claimed at least 10 lives and destroyed several homes.
Residents said the attackers struck around 6:00 p.m., opening fire indiscriminately and forcing villagers to flee in different directions to escape the sudden onslaught. The assault threw the quiet agrarian settlements into chaos, with families abandoning their homes amid the sound of gunshots.
Sources within the communities disclosed that the assailants are believed to be part of armed groups operating from the Borgu National Park axis in neighbouring Niger State, a forested area long suspected to serve as a hideout for criminal gangs.
A community leader, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, confirmed the death toll and extent of the damage, noting that several residents were still unaccounted for hours after the attack. He added that numerous houses were set ablaze during the invasion.
“The gunmen came in large numbers and attacked both communities almost simultaneously. Ten deaths have been confirmed so far, but some people ran into the bush and we are still trying to locate them. Many homes were also burnt,” the source said.
The Kwara State Government has condemned the attack, describing it as a senseless act of violence against innocent citizens. In a statement issued Tuesday night, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was deeply saddened by the incident and is closely following developments.
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According to the statement, the governor characterised the assault as a desperate reaction by criminal elements facing sustained pressure from ongoing security operations across parts of the state.
“The governor condemns the attack, which he describes as a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells in response to the intensified counter-terrorism efforts and the successes recorded so far,” the statement read.
The state government further suggested that the timing of the raid was intended to distract security agencies from recent gains made against kidnapping and banditry networks in Kwara and its border areas.
Governor AbdulRazaq extended condolences to the families of those killed and to the people of Kaiama Local Government Area, assuring them that security agencies have been directed to strengthen operations in the affected axis to forestall further attacks.
As at the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Police Command had not released an official statement on the incident or confirmed whether additional security personnel had been deployed to the communities.
