Boko Haram Kwara attack leaves over 100 dead in Woro community; President Tinubu orders army deployment to restore security and protect residents
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have killed over 100 residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, following a brutal assault triggered by the villagers’ refusal to accept the extremists’ ideology.
Eyewitnesses told Legit.ng that the attackers stormed Woro on Tuesday evening, January 3, shooting indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze.
Survivors reported that men, women, and children were among the victims, with some trapped inside burning buildings.
Prominent casualties include two wives of the Emir of Woro, several of his children, the Chief Imam, a school principal, a headmistress, and students returning from school.
The Emir, Alhaji Saliu Bio Umar, remains missing, fuelling fears of abduction or death.
Residents stated that the attackers had earlier sent a written threat demanding compliance with their extremist doctrine.
“They warned us in writing that if we did not accept them, they would wipe us out. Sadly, they carried out their threat,” one source said.
Among the dead was Comrade Salihu Bio Khalid, a former Students’ Union Government President of Kwara State College of Nursing, Ilorin.
The massacre has left the community in shock, prompting mass evacuations of Woro and neighbouring villages.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confirmed 75 deaths during a visit to Kaiama on January 4 and announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had authorised the immediate deployment of an army battalion to launch counter-offensives under Operation Savannah Shield.
However, community sources insist the death toll exceeds 100.
Security forces continue operations in and around Woro as survivors search for missing relatives and attempt to bury the dead, while fear and trauma grip the local population.
The attack is reportedly linked to a Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction with operational ties across the Sahel region, marking a severe escalation of extremist violence in Kwara State.
