At least 35 residents have been killed in a brazen terrorist attack on several villages in Kwara State, leaving communities in shock and mourning.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as armed assailants moved through settlements, firing indiscriminately and setting homes and shops ablaze.
According to local sources, the attacks targeted Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, with survivors fleeing into nearby forests to escape the onslaught.
The assailants are suspected to have emerged from hideouts near Borgu National Park, along the border with the Niger Republic.
“People were running for their lives. Houses were burning, and we could hear gunshots everywhere.
“Many of our friends and neighbours didn’t make it,” said a resident who escaped the attack.
Authorities are still confirming the full extent of casualties, but local leaders warn the toll could rise as recovery and search operations continue.
Several villagers remain unaccounted for, with families desperately seeking news of missing relatives.
The Kwara State Government condemned the attacks, describing them as a deliberate attempt to destabilise the area.
A statement from the governor’s office urged calm, assuring residents that security agencies are intensifying patrols and investigations to apprehend the perpetrators.
This latest assault highlights the growing insecurity in parts of northern and north-central Nigeria, where rural communities have repeatedly fallen victim to armed raids and extremist violence.
Security experts warn that unless urgent interventions are implemented, such attacks may continue to escalate.