The recent brutal terrorist attacks on Woro and Nuku villages in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have resulted in a devastating loss of life, with casualty figures ranging from over 100 to upwards of 170 people killed. These horrific acts, which reportedly occurred on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, involved the burning of homes and shops, abductions, and the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians, including Christian worshippers who were reportedly burnt in a church, and local Muslims who refused to surrender to what was described as a strange and misguided doctrine. The incident has been widely condemned as one of Nigeria's worst mass killings in recent times and has intensified concerns over the worsening insecurity in the North-Central region, previously considered relatively insulated from such large-scale violence.

The perpetrators, identified as Islamic fundamentalists and members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’adati wal-Jihad (JAS), a main Boko Haram faction now led by Bakura Doro, also referred to as the Islamist sect Lakurawa, operated for many hours during the assault. Disturbingly, a handwritten letter from JAS, dated January 8, 2026 (corresponding to 19 Rajab 1447), had surfaced, sent to the Sarkin Woro. This letter, framed as a request for "preaching and guidance," deliberately masked their deadly intentions. Community members, including the head of Woro, Salihu, confirmed that this letter was brought to the attention of the DSS, the emirate council, and other appropriate authorities months in advance, along with consistent reports from youths about the suspicious movement of armed strangers in nearby forests. Despite these repeated distress calls and security warnings, residents accuse the Kwara State government of failing to take meaningful action, leaving the communities vulnerable.

In response to the massacre, Vice President Kashim Shettima led a Federal Government delegation on a condolence visit to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Saturday. He conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s condolences and condemned the killings as an unacceptable violation of citizens' rights to live and practise their faith peacefully. Shettima confirmed President Tinubu’s directive for the immediate deployment of a battalion of Nigerian Army troops, alongside police tactical teams, to the forests of Kaiama and surrounding areas to neutralize the threat and restore peace. This military operation, dubbed "Operation Savannah Shield," was confirmed by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as being underway. Furthermore, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, who was part of the delegation, was instructed to mobilize all necessary resources to provide humanitarian assistance to the distressed and displaced communities.

Despite the federal intervention, the visit was marred by controversy. Multiple sources accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of deliberately preventing Vice President Shettima from visiting the actual Woro community. The alleged reason given was the long journey and the inability to return to Ilorin the same day, which sources claimed was false and intended to conceal the deplorable condition of the roads leading to the area, necessitating travel through Igbeti and Kishi in Oyo State. Instead of visiting the devastated community, the Vice President met with stakeholders from the community, including the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Mu’azu Sheu Omar, and Kaiama Local Government Chairman Abdullahi Abubakar Danladi, in Ilorin. This brief 30-minute meeting, during which the VP was unable to meet or speak directly with the affected people, was followed by his departure for Owerri to participate in Imo State’s 50th-anniversary activities, raising concerns about the politicization of the tragedy and the sincerity of the visit.

Both local leaders and international bodies have expressed profound sorrow and condemnation. Governor AbdulRazaq, while praising the Federal Government's swift response, faced continued accusations from residents about the prior neglect of security warnings. The Southern Governors’ Forum, through its Chairman Governor Dapo Abiodun, condemned the "horrendous act of jihadist violence" and called for swift justice for the perpetrators. The Embassy of Israel in Nigeria also issued a statement condemning the "horrific act of violence" and expressed solidarity with Nigeria, stressing that the deliberate targeting of civilians is an affront to humanity. Security experts continue to warn that without urgent and coordinated measures to protect rural communities, address intelligence failures, and tackle the root causes of violence, such mass casualty attacks may persist across Nigeria.