At least 162 people have been killed in coordinated attacks on Woro and Nuku villages in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Mohammed Omar Bio, the lawmaker representing the area, confirmed the death toll as of Wednesday afternoon. He said the attacks were carried out by a group known locally as the Lakurawa, which is believed to have links to the Islamic State, though no group has officially claimed responsibility.
Local sources said gunmen entered the villages, rounded up residents, tied their hands, and shot them. Homes and shops were also set on fire during the attacks.
Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, a politician based in Kaiama, said many villagers fled into nearby bushlands with gunshot wounds. Several people, including the villages’ traditional ruler, were still missing.
Residents told reporters that the attackers were jihadists who had previously preached in the area, demanding that villagers abandon loyalty to the Nigerian government and follow Sharia law. When locals refused, the gunmen reportedly opened fire.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the killings, calling them a “cowardly” act carried out by terrorist cells responding to recent military operations.
Kwara State shares a border with Niger State, where armed groups have increased their activities in recent years. The Nigerian military has said it recently launched sustained operations against terrorist elements in the region.
In a separate attack on the same day, gunmen killed at least 13 people in Doma village, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, police said, showing that violence continues to spread across northern Nigeria.