Soldiers and Forest Guards have been deployed to Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State following a deadly bandit attack that has reportedly pushed the death toll to 40.
A local government source, who spoke anonymously, said the security operatives took control of the affected areas on Wednesday morning as residents struggled to come to terms with the scale of the violence.
According to the source, the attack occurred on Tuesday evening when suspected bandits invaded the communities, leaving dozens dead and several houses burnt.
The source claimed the attackers, believed to have come from neighbouring villages in Niger State, had been moving around preaching that residents should abandon the Nigerian Constitution and embrace the Qur’an.
It was gathered that the situation escalated when some members of the gathering opposed the message, allegedly provoking the attackers to open fire on the crowd.
The source said many victims were killed instantly while a few others managed to escape, adding that preparations were already underway for a mass burial.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye.
The governor expressed sadness over the attack, describing it as a cowardly act by terrorist elements frustrated by the success of ongoing counterterrorism operations in the state.
He condemned the killings and extended condolences to the people of Woro and Nuku communities, particularly the families of those who lost their loved ones.
