Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has said no fewer than 75 residents were killed in coordinated attacks on two communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state for resisting attempts by extremists to impose a different religious ideology.
The governor disclosed this on Wednesday during a visit to the affected axis, accompanied by security chiefs and members of the state executive council, describing the incident as a “cowardly act” carried out by terrorist elements facing pressure from ongoing security operations.
The attacks were said to have occurred on Tuesday evening in Woro and Nuku communities, where gunmen reportedly stormed the villages, restrained residents and shot indiscriminately, leaving scores dead.
Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the assault began around 6pm, adding that security operatives had since been deployed to the area, while investigations were ongoing to determine the exact casualty figure and trace missing persons.
However, AbdulRazaq stated that intelligence reports available to the state government confirmed that 75 people lost their lives in the attack, which he said was triggered by the communities’ refusal to abandon their long-held religious beliefs.
A video shared on the Kwara State Government’s official X handle showed the governor addressing traditional rulers and survivors, where he condemned the killings and described them as a departure from previous attacks that often involved kidnapping or looting.
The governor also announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved the immediate deployment of an army battalion under Operation Savannah Shield to the area, assuring residents that decisive counter-offensives would be launched to flush out the attackers.