At least 162 people have been confirmed dead after suspected terrorists launched a deadly assault on Woro village in Kaiama LGA of Kwara State, in what humanitarian officials say ranks among the most lethal attacks recorded in Nigeria in recent months.
The State’s Secretary of the Red Cross, Babaomo Ayodeji, disclosed that rescue teams and volunteers were still recovering bodies days after the Tuesday evening attack. “Reports said that the death toll now stands at 162, as the search for more bodies continues”, Ayodeji said, revising an earlier figure of 67 fatalities.
The attack, which took place at about 6:00 p.m., was also acknowledged by the police and the Kwara State Government, although both stopped short of giving official casualty numbers.
A lawmaker representing the Kaiama axis, Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, had earlier stated that between 35 and 40 bodies were initially counted shortly after the attackers fled the village.
According to him, the assailants arrived in large numbers, opened fire on residents, and set several structures ablaze, including shops and the palace of the traditional ruler. “Many others escaped into the bush with gunshot wounds”, Ahmed said, warning that the final toll could rise as search efforts continue. He added that the whereabouts of the Village Head remained unknown in the aftermath of the attack.
The Kwara State government attributed the killings to what it described as “terrorist cells” operating within parts of the state. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the incident, calling it “a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following the ongoing counter-terrorism campaigns in parts of the state”.
Prior to the Woro attack, authorities had imposed curfews in some affected communities and temporarily shut down schools as a precaution. Schools were reopened on Monday, just 24 hours before the deadly raid.
