Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Says Terrorists

Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Says Terrorists Massacred 75 Residents in Kaiama for Rejecting ‘Strange Doctrines’; Mass Burials Held and Security Taskforce Activated
Tuesday evening, February 3, 2026
Woro and Nuku communities, Kaiama Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria rural communities in the state’s northern region.
Armed terrorists attacked the Woro and Nuku communities, killing at least 75 residents all of whom were reported to be local Muslims in a brutal massacre. According to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the victims were targeted and murdered for refusing to accept the extremists’ “strange doctrine” violent and radical ideology pushed by the attackers which the villagers rejected.
The governor described the assaults as a deliberate and cold-blooded massacre of peaceful worshippers who upheld their beliefs and resisted extremist indoctrination.
Victims were shot during the attack, and several houses and properties were reportedly set ablaze as the gunmen rampaged through the towns. A mass burial for the confirmed 75 victims was held on Wednesday afternoon in the Woro community, led by local officials. Though the government confirmed 75 fatalities, other reports and local accounts suggest the total number of casualties may be significantly higher. Governor AbdulRazaq said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the immediate deployment of an army battalion to the affected area to counter the threat and secure residents. The new operation has been named Operation Savannah Shield, with the objective of flushing out terrorists and preventing further attacks in the region. Security forces, including soldiers and forest guards, reportedly took over operations in Woro and Nuku to check further insurgent activity. In a condolence visit to the Emir of Kaiama and affected families, Governor AbdulRazaq strongly condemned the massacre, labeling it cowardly and unjustifiable violence by terrorist cells frustrated by recent counterterrorism efforts in the state. He expressed deep sympathy to community leaders and relatives, emphasizing the state government’s determination to protect lives and uphold peace.
The attack forms part of the escalating insecurity in northern and central Nigeria, where extremist militant groups and bandits have increasingly targeted rural communities.
Extremists reportedly travel through villages preaching ideologies and attempting to coerce residents into adopting radical interpretations, with violent reprisals for those who refuse.