The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the immediate deployment of tactical, operational, and intelligence resources to Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State following a deadly assault that left at least 75 people dead.
The Nigeria Police Force, in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, denounced the attack carried out on Tuesday, describing it as “tragic and deeply disturbing.”
According to the statement, the IGP expressed his “heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Kwara State,” while reaffirming the Force’s determination to safeguard lives and property across the country.
“In response to this incident, the Inspector-General of Police has ordered the immediate deployment of tactical, operational, and intelligence assets to Kaiama and surrounding communities,” the statement said.
The police explained that the deployment is intended to restore calm, reinforce security presence and prevent any further outbreak of violence in the affected areas.
The Force also confirmed that a full-scale manhunt has been launched to track down the attackers and their collaborators, noting that investigations are ongoing and that all available resources have been activated to ensure those responsible are identified, arrested and prosecuted.
“The perpetrators will not escape the long arm of the law,” the statement added.
Members of the public were urged to remain calm and support security agencies by volunteering credible information through nearby police stations.
Attack
Accounts from the affected communities revealed that armed men stormed Woro and the neighbouring Nuku communities late on Tuesday, killing more than 160 people, setting shops ablaze, destroying the residence of a traditional ruler and forcing many residents to flee into nearby bushes.
Reacting to the killings, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Tanimu described the incident as a stark reflection of Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation.
In the same vein, the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) condemned the killings in parts of Kwara, Katsina and Benue states, labelling them “barbaric, senseless, and a direct assault on the collective conscience of the nation.”
Following the attack, President Bola Tinubu ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kwara State to bolster security operations in the area.
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said the decision was aimed at “checkmating the barbaric terrorists and protecting defenceless communities.”
Onanuga disclosed that the new military formation would spearhead Operation Savannah Shield, adding that President Tinubu denounced the attackers as “heartless for choosing soft targets in their doomed campaign of terror.”
The President also criticised the targeting of residents for rejecting the attackers’ ideology and offered condolences to the families of those killed.
Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, who visited the affected communities and the palace of the Emir of Kaiama, Muazu Omar, on Wednesday night, described the incident as a “pure massacre.”
AbdulRazaq confirmed that at least 75 victims had been buried, stating that the attackers singled out residents for resisting what he called a “perverted” terrorist doctrine.
What you should know
The Kaiama attack is one of the deadliest incidents recorded in Kwara State in recent years, highlighting growing concerns over insecurity spreading into previously calm areas.
The coordinated response involving the police, military and federal authorities underscores the seriousness of the situation as Nigeria intensifies efforts to curb violent attacks on rural communities.
Beyond immediate security measures, the incident has renewed calls for stronger intelligence gathering, community policing and sustained military presence to prevent similar assaults and protect vulnerable populations.
