Kwara Residents Share What Happened During Bandits' Attack Before Security Forces Arrived
- Woro community head, Umar Bio Salihu, said bandits attacked for about 10 hours before soldiers arrived around 3am
- He claimed the area became exposed after a military base was withdrawn, and there was no air support during the attack
- Salihu alleged the attackers were linked to the Mamuda terrorist group, insisting the killings were not religious, as most victims were Muslims
Legit.ng Journalist Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award winner, with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
Kwara state - Residents of Woro community in Kaiama local government area of Kwara state have recounted how armed bandits allegedly operated for about 10 hours before security operatives arrived.
The village head of Woro, Umar Bio Salihu, made the claim while speaking on ARISE Television on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
Source: Twitter
According to the PUNCH, the delay reportedly contributed to the high number of casualties and destruction recorded in the area.
The village head said the attackers began their operation around 5 pm, but soldiers only arrived at about 3am the next day.
He added that by the time security personnel arrived, the attackers had already left the communities.
“I called after 5pm, but they did not come until about 3am. That was from 5pm to about 3am. That is about 10 hours,” Salihu said.
“The military did not attack them. The bandits had gone when the military came,” he stated.
No air support during Kwara attack
Salihu further claimed that there was no air interdiction throughout the assault, leaving residents to face the attackers without support.
He explained that the community had become vulnerable after soldiers previously stationed in the area were withdrawn.
According to him, Woro once had a military base with about 15 soldiers, but the personnel were evacuated after bandits attacked the base some months earlier.
Salihu added that the withdrawal gave the attackers freedom to strike at will.
“Initially, we had a military base there. We had about 15 soldiers there. About three to five months ago, they attacked the soldiers. Since then, they evacuated them. We have no security presence in that area,” he said.
“That gave them the opportunity to come anytime, enter anytime and do whatever they like.”
Kwara: Village head identifies attackers
The village head alleged that the assailants belonged to the Mamuda terrorist group, claiming the violence followed the community’s refusal to accept the group’s ideology.
“Our people are not ready to take that ideology. I think that is what made them angry to come and attack the communities,” he said.
Salihu dismissed claims that the massacre was religiously motivated, insisting that most of the victims were Muslims.
“The people they killed are mostly Muslims. About 95 per cent are Muslims and five per cent are Christians,” he stated.
Source: Original
Salihu also disclosed that before the attack, the community had received a threat letter allegedly sent by the attackers, which he said was reported to security agencies.
He expressed concerns that the process of handling the letter may have compromised sensitive information.
“When they brought the letter, they brought it directly to me. That night, I sent the letter to the DSS in Kiama.
“The following day, I took the letter myself to the Emirate Council. They photocopied it. In that process, I think they lost the appropriate contact,” he said.
Salihu claimed that the terrorists became angry after security agents later went on patrol.
Kwara attack: Death toll rising
The village head said at least 75 people had been buried, adding that the figure could rise as more bodies were still being recovered from the bush.
He also disclosed that several villages were razed during the attack, including his own home.
“They burned almost half of the villages, including my house,” he said.
Salihu confirmed that Kwara state governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq visited the affected communities and directed the deployment of security personnel.
The attack is coming amid renewed violence across parts of north-central and north-west Nigeria, where rural communities continue to face deadly assaults despite ongoing military operations.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday approved the immediate deployment of an Army battalion to the area under a new counter-offensive operation, as troops and forest guards moved into the affected communities to restore security.
Kwara attack: Mass burial of 78 people held
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Woro community in the Kaiama local government area of Kwara state has been thrown into deeper mourning after residents recovered 78 corpses following a deadly bandit attack on Tuesday.
According to reports, the bodies were recovered on Wednesday as locals continued searching the bush and surrounding areas for missing residents.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
