Scores of people have been killed following a brutal armed assault on two villages in Nigeria’s western Kwara State, according to local officials and human rights organizations. The violence, which targeted the communities of Nuku and Woro, forced residents to flee after gunmen torched homes, shops and the palace of the traditional ruler.
A local lawmaker, Saidu Baba Ahmed, told BBC Hausa that the attackers stormed the villages, opening fire and setting properties ablaze, leaving survivors with no choice but to escape. Authorities have since deployed an army battalion to the Kaiama area of the state, amid growing concerns over militant activity.
While initial reports suggested at least 35 fatalities, later accounts paint a far grimmer picture. The Red Cross in Kwara said the death toll had risen to about 162 as searches continued, while Amnesty International put the figure at over 170, noting that many victims were shot at close range and others burned alive. The rights group also reported that several people were abducted during the attack and criticised what it described as a glaring lack of security presence at the time.
There has been some disagreement over who carried out the massacre. President Bola Tinubu blamed Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram, while another lawmaker, Mohammed Omar Bio, pointed to Lakurawa, an armed faction linked to Islamic State. Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said 75 local Muslims were “massacred in cold blood” after refusing to submit to extremists promoting what he called a radical doctrine.
The violence in Kwara is part of a wider surge in deadly attacks across Nigeria in recent days. Amnesty International also reported that at least 21 people were killed in a separate assault on Doma village in Katsina State.
The incidents coincided with Nigeria’s first official confirmation of a US military presence in the country since President Donald Trump directed preparations for possible action against Islamist militants. Defence Minister Christopher Musa confirmed that a small team of American troops is in Nigeria to support intelligence gathering and training, though he did not disclose details about their deployment. His remarks followed comments by a senior US Africa Command official, who said the mission was at Nigeria’s request and focused on specialised intelligence support.
Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple security crises, ranging from jihadist insurgencies to criminal banditry involving kidnappings and looting, as well as communal clashes over land and separatist tensions. The latest attacks have renewed calls for stronger protection of civilians and a thorough investigation into the failures that allowed such large-scale violence to occur.
