Woro emptied as mass graves grow after Kwara terror attack

WORO, a quiet farming settlement in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, has become a ghost town as residents flee and mass burials continue in the aftermath of one of the deadliest attacks in the state’s history.

By Thursday, at least 13 more bodies had been interred, bringing the number of confirmed burials in the community to well over 88 within two days, Daily Trust reported. Community leaders say dozens more remain unaccounted for, with search teams still combing nearby bushes and farmlands for corpses.

The assault, which began on Tuesday, is believed to have killed more than 100 people, most of them men, and left scores abducted, including women and children. Survivors say the scale of destruction has overwhelmed the community, forcing families to abandon their homes despite the arrival of security operatives.

“We are still recovering bodies. Some were buried today because we couldn’t finish yesterday,” said Dr Abdul Woro, who has been helping to coordinate burials. “Many people have fled. What is left now is an empty village.”

A village erased overnight

Residents said the attackers stormed Woro in large numbers on motorcycles, first assembling at a secondary school before spreading across the settlement in a coordinated raid. The gunmen, many reportedly dressed in military-style uniforms, operated for more than 10 hours.

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“They came around 5pm and began shooting everywhere,” said survivor Dr Abdul Woro. “They burnt houses, shops, vehicles, almost nothing was left untouched.”

Community members said at least 49 shops and several homes were reduced to ashes, while vehicles were destroyed. The village head, who lost two children and had his wife and other children taken away, said the community was struggling to comprehend the scale of the tragedy.

“No message has come from those who were taken,” he said. “We are still waiting, but hope is fading.”

Deserted, despite soldiers

Although security forces have since been deployed, residents say fear still dominates. The village has been largely abandoned, with only a few people remaining behind to help in the search and burial of victims.

Kaiama Local Government Chairman, Mr Abubakar Abdullahi, confirmed that officials visiting the area saw bodies still lying in parts of the community.

“Beyond the 75 we recorded earlier, more corpses are still being recovered from the bush,” he said. “The number keeps changing.”

To restore confidence, Mr Abdullahi said 50 soldiers and 30 forest guards had been deployed to the area. He also revealed that about 12 local vigilantes were locked inside a building by the attackers and set on fire.

He, however, dismissed claims that an entire family was wiped out, saying no household was completely eliminated.

Another resident claimed the toll could be far higher, alleging that as many as 173 people were buried and about 150 abducted, though officials say the figures remain unverified.

Government and police response

The Kwara State Police Command said a full-scale investigation had begun, adding that preliminary findings suggested the attackers were religious extremists. A joint security operation involving the police, military and National Forest Guards has been activated.

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Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who visited Woro and Kaiama alongside top security chiefs, described the incident as a massacre rather than a kidnapping operation. He said at least 75 deaths had been confirmed and disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the deployment of a battalion of soldiers under Operation Savannah Shield.

“I am short of words. We are very sad,” the governor said. “This is a massacre.”

He directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to begin documenting victims and coordinating humanitarian support.

Mahmuda group blamed

Residents and security experts linked the attack to the Mahmuda terror group, believed to be operating around the Kainji National Park axis. The Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Omar, told the governor that the attackers were followers of Mahmuda who target communities that reject their ideology.

Security experts say the arrest of the group’s leader last year has not dismantled its network. According to village head, Hussein Mohammed, more than 300 fighters remain active.

A retired DSS Director, Mr Abdulsalam Bolakale Suleiman, said the persistence of such groups is fueled by poverty, weak intelligence networks, and local collaboration.

“These men move in hundreds of motorcycles. They pass through villages. They are not ghosts,” he said, calling for a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture.

National and international condemnation

The Northern States Governors’ Forum condemned the killings in Kwara, Katsina and Benue, describing them as “barbaric and senseless.”

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The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr António Guterres, also expressed condolences and reaffirmed the UN’s support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.

The military high command vowed that the perpetrators would not go unpunished, while President Tinubu reiterated that Nigeria would not surrender any community to violent extremism disguised as religion.

For Woro, however, the pain is immediate and personal. As the graves multiply and homes remain empty, the survivors are left not only to mourn, but to wonder if they will ever return.