Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has attributed the killing of dozens of residents in Kaiama Local Government Area to extremist elements, stating that at least 75 people lost their lives in the attack.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had earlier indicated that about 162 persons were feared dead following the incident.
The governor spoke on Wednesday when he visited the affected communities of Woro and Nuku, accompanied by security chiefs and members of the state executive council. He described the incident as a calculated massacre carried out by terrorist cells operating in the area.
The attack was said to have taken place on Tuesday evening, when gunmen reportedly gathered residents, tied their hands and shot them at close range.
Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the attack began around 6 p.m. on Tuesday. She added that security personnel had since been deployed to the communities, while efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of casualties and trace missing persons.
While official police figures were yet to be confirmed, AbdulRazaq maintained that 75 residents were killed.
A video posted on the Kwara State Government’s official X handle showed the governor at a traditional palace in the area, flanked by military officers and community leaders, as he sympathised with the victims’ families and announced federal intervention.
According to AbdulRazaq, preliminary information suggested that the communities were attacked for rejecting attempts by extremists to impose unfamiliar religious doctrines on them.
“We commiserate with you over the death of 75 of your people. May Allah grant them Aljanah Firdaus.
“From the information available to us, these villagers refused to succumb to a perverted form of Islamic doctrine. They chose to remain steadfast in their faith, and because they would not accept any alteration, they were attacked and massacred.
“This goes beyond the usual cases of kidnapping or looting. This was a deliberate massacre, and it is strongly condemned,” he said.
The governor further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had authorised the immediate deployment of an army battalion under “Operation Savannah Shield” to launch counter-operations against those behind the killings.
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