2026 Kwara State attacks

Last updated

2026 Kwara State attacks
Part of the Boko Haram insurgency
Location 9°44′24″N4°12′21″E / 9.74°N 4.2058°E / 9.74; 4.2058
Nuku and Woro, Kwara State, Nigeria
Date3–4 February 2026
~17:30 – 03:00 (WAT, UTC+01:00)
Attack type
 Massacre, mass shooting, mass murder, arson, kidnapping
Deaths162–200+
Injured50+
Victims38 kidnapped
Perpetrators
Lakurawa (claimed by Mohammed Omar Bio)
MotiveVillagers rejecting their version of sharia law

On 3 February 2026, hundreds of extremist terrorist militants attacked the villages of Woro and Nuku (7 km to the west) in Kwara State, Nigeria, killing at least 162 residents. The attack was conducted after village residents rejected the militants' demand to adopt their version of Sharia law and bowing to their demands of letting them go through the village. The attackers also torched a number of buildings and kidnapped several people. Reports on the allegiance of the perpetrators varied, with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu blaming Boko Haram, and local House of Representatives member Mohammed Omar Bio blaming the Islamic State-linked Lakurawa. It was one of the deadliest attacks in Nigeria in months. Nigerian sources labelled the event the Kwara massacre. [2] [3]

Contents

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Attack location on a map of Nigeria

Attacks

Prelude

The attackers were reportedly jihadists based in forests around the Borgu region who previously preached in Woro and had ordered residents to embrace their version of Sharia. They had earlier preached in border villages in Niger State, encouraging residents to embrace their version of Sharia and reject the Nigerian constitution and foundations by disobedience to the government and bowing to the soon to be attackers demends [2] Amnesty International reported they sent letters and pamphlets to Woro two weeks before the attack. [4] The attackers sent another letter to the village's head five months prior, informing him they intended to preach in the village. The Ilorin council was informed of the letter and requested soldiers be deployed to Woro, however they withdrew after a few weeks. [5] The last warning letter, delivered in January, was addressed by Boko Haram under its formal name and its leader in Lake Chad, Bakura Doro. [6]

Attack

The attack on Nuku and Woro, which are neighbouring, predominately Muslim [7] villages in Kaiama, Kwara, [2] near the Beninese border, began at 17:30 WAT. [8] [9] It lasted several hours and extended till 03:00 the following morning. [5] [10] Hundreds of gunmen were present, according to a local Red Cross official. [11] They were armed with explosives, AK-47s, and pump action weapons, and had surrounded the village, blocking its exits. [12] The attackers began firing after the villagers rejected their demands. [13]

The attackers, who rode motorbikes, moved door-to-door, executing residents and setting fire to buildings. [14] They also fired at motorists along a federal highway that passed into the area. Between 18:30 and 20:00, the attack entered an "execution phase", where the killings escalated. [12] A local politician said gunmen gathered people together and bound their hands before executing them. Amnesty said the attackers had "free rein" during the attack, rounding up and massacring young men and entire families and looting shops. [4] A military aircraft hovered over the site at around 20:00, prompting the attackers to retreat. Residents began emerging an hour later, and the attackers, after regrouping, called for prayers at a mosque as a ruse, killing people who showed up. [15] The massacre continued until 02:00 the following morning. Soldiers arrived an hour later, although the attackers had already fled. [12]

The attackers also burned down homes, shops, and a palace belonging to Woro's traditional king, Alhaji Salihu Umar. The attackers targeted Umar's home, who they had written their letters to. He survived the attack since he was not present at the time, but the attackers ended up killing or kidnapping members of his family instead. [15] Approximately 38 homes were destroyed. [16] The fate of several people remained unknown. Many residents fled into the surrounding bushland. [17] [18] A survivor said residents who were unable to escape climbed treetops to survive. [19]

Casualties

Initial reports said between 35 and 40 people were killed in the attack. [17] The death toll later rose to 162, according to Member of Parliament Mohammed Omar Bio and the Red Cross, [9] [18] with the latter adding that searches for additional bodies were ongoing. The attack was indiscriminate. Also killed were the chief Imam of Woro, a school principal, a headmistress, and schoolchildren. [20] The death toll was later reported to have risen to over 200, as more bodies were recovered from the surrounding bushland. [21] A local said around 95% of the dead were Muslim, and the rest were Christian. [12]

Amnesty said many people were shot at close range and some were burnt alive or had their throats slit. [4] Some victims were mutilated. [22] It was the deadliest attack in Nigeria in 2026, [23] and according to the Critical Threats Project, the deadliest outside of northeast Nigeria to date and the deadliest jihadist attack of the decade. [6]

38 people were abducted. Alhaji Umar Salihu Tanko, the village head of Woro, said three of his children were killed and his wife and two others were kidnapped; [19] some kidnapped were transported in a stolen Jeep. [5] More than 50 people were hospitalised. [24]

Perpetrators

Omar Bio said the attacks were conducted by the Islamic State-affiliated group Lakurawa, although no group took responsibility. [25] The Critical Threats Project said it was unlikely Lakurawa was the perpetrator, since the group normally operates further north near the border of Niger. [6] James Barnett of the Hudson Institute said Boko Haram was responsible for other massacres in the area, and it was the most likely perpetrator. [26] President Bola Tinubu also blamed Boko Haram. [8] It was reported that a Boko Haram cell led by Sadiku was behind the attack. [a] [28]

Aftermath

Following the attacks, police officers and soldiers were mobilised to carry out search-and-rescue operations. [17] The Red Cross was not able to reach the villages, located in a remote region eight hours from the Kwara State capital. [9]

Nigerian president Bola Tinubu announced the launch of Operation Savanna Shield, which included the deployment of a battalion to Kwara State and the appointment of a field commander to oversee the operation. [29] [30] Tinubu said the operation aimed to protect local villages and to "checkmate the barbaric terrorists". [31]

At least 78 bodies were recovered by residents and buried on 4 February. [29] The dead were buried in mass graves after funeral rites. [32] By 5 February, only around 20 men were left in villages to bury the dead. [14]

Reactions

President Tinubu called the attack "particularly disturbing" because the victims were killed for resisting "an attempt at forced indoctrination". He said the attackers were "heartless" and vowed that they would be brought to justice. [33] Kwara State governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq called it a "brutal and deliberate massacre" motivated by extremism rather than banditry. [34] He visited Woro and Nuku on 4 February, where he described the massacre as a genocide. [35] Ademola Adeleke, the governor of neighbouring Osun State, gave his condolences to the victims and issued tightened security for border communities in his state. [36]

The United States Department of State condemned the "horrific" attack and offered its condolences. [37] Turkey also condemned the attack and vowed to continue supporting Nigeria in its operations against terrorism. [38] United Nations secretary-general António Guterres gave his "heartfelt condolences" and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. [39] The African Union and countries including Germany and Benin also issued statements of solidarity. [40]

Notes

  1. ↑ Sadiku is the alias of cell leader Abubakar Saidu. [27]

References

  1. ↑ "Sadiku: Unmasking terrorist leader behind Kwara massacre". Punch Newspapers. 6 February 2026. Archived from the original on 7 February 2026. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Kwara massacre: FG faces heat as 100 feared dead". Punch Newspapers. 4 February 2026. Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  3. ↑ Nda-Isaiah, Jonathan (4 February 2026). "Kwara Massacre: Tinubu Orders Army Battalion To Move Into Kaiama". Leadership Nigeria. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Ayodele, Aduwo (4 February 2026). "Bandits killing 200 Nigerians is of low priority to Tinubu: Amnesty International". Peoples Gazette Nigeria. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Mohammed, Yakubu (4 February 2026). "Five months after warning letter, Boko Haram attacks Kwara community, kills 170, abducts women and children". Premium Times. ISSN   2360-7688. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "Boko Massacre in Nigeria; Ethiopia on the Brink; M23 Drone Attack; IS Attacks Niamey: Africa File, February 5, 2026". Critical Threats. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  7. ↑ Adeyeye, Oluwafemi (5 February 2026). "Kwara massacre: Tinubu orders army battalion to Kaiama LG". The Witness Nigeria. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Nigeria gunmen in deadly attack on Kwara villages as US military team's deployment confirmed". www.bbc.com. 4 February 2026. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "Nigeria: Extremists kill over 100 in western villages". dw.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  10. ↑ "'Burned inside their houses': Nigerians recount horror of massacre". Ahram Online. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  11. ↑ "Attacks on civilians in central and northern Nigeria kill nearly 200". CBC. 4 February 2026. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Reporters, Our (7 February 2026). "Sadiku: Unmasking terrorist leader behind Kwara massacre". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  13. ↑ Ardo, Hazzad (4 February 2026). "Gunmen kill nearly 200 in Nigeria's Kwara and Katsina attacks". Reuters .
  14. 1 2 "Extremists massacred 162 people in a Nigerian village after issuing a call to prayer". The Independent. 6 February 2026. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Kwara attack survivors in Nigeria: 'They sent a letter asking to preach. Then they massacred us'". BBC. 6 February 2026. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  16. ↑ Eboh, Camillus (5 February 2026). "Nigeria deploys troops after 170 killed in deadly Kwara village attack". Reuters. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 "Gunmen kill dozens of people, burn homes in remote Nigeria village". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  18. 1 2 Mureithi, Carlos; Egbejule, Eromo (4 February 2026). "Gunmen kill more than 160 people in attacks on two west Nigeria villages". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  19. 1 2 Azeez, Biola (4 February 2026). "Banditry: Survivors of Kwara attack narrate experiences". Tribune Online. Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  20. ↑ "Dozens Killed, Emir Of Woro Missing As Terrorists Massacre Ruler's Wives, Children, Others In Kwara Community". Sahara Reporters. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  21. ↑ Abdulkabeer, Ambali (6 February 2026). "After killing hundreds of our people in one day, terrorists called us for prayer: Kwara Massacre Survivors". Peoples Gazette Nigeria. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  22. ↑ Orjinmo, Nduka (4 February 2026). "Dozens of Villagers Killed in Attack in Central Nigeria". Bloomberg. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  23. ↑ "Nigeria : une attaque d'hommes armés fait 162 morts, « les recherches pour retrouver d'autres corps se poursuivent »" [Nigeria: An Attack By Armed Men Leads To 162 Deaths, "The Search To Find Other Bodies Is Ongoing"]. L'Humanité (in French). 4 February 2026. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  24. ↑ Akhimien, Nosakhale (6 February 2026). "Over 50 Kwara Attack Survivors Receive Treatment". Channels Television. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  25. ↑ "Islamic militants kill at least 162 people in attacks on 2 villages in Nigeria, lawmaker says". AP News. 4 February 2026. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  26. ↑ "Armed Islamist extremists kill 162 in western Nigeria villages". France 24. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  27. ↑ "How a Boko Haram faction entrenched itself near Nigeria's capital". ISS Africa. Archived from the original on 14 November 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  28. ↑ Yusuf, Ridwan Adeola (5 February 2026). "Boko Haram Kills 100 Kwara Residents Over Refusal to Accept Islamic Extremism, Details Emerge – Legit.ng". Legit.ng . Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  29. 1 2 "Tinubu orders army to move into Kaiama, condemns terrorist attack". Vanguard News. 4 February 2026. Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  30. ↑ "Nigeria: President deploys troops after Kwara state attack". dw.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  31. ↑ "Nigeria sets up new military command to slow spread of Islamic militants after deadly attack". AP News. 5 February 2026. Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  32. ↑ Meshioye, David (5 February 2026). "Kwara Killings: Victims, including village head's children, given mass burial". The Guardian Nigeria. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  33. ↑ Oluwafemi, Ayodele (6 February 2026). "Tinubu: Perpetrators of Kwara killings won't go scot free". TheCable. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  34. ↑ Athekame, kenneth (5 February 2026). "Kwara killings linked to Islamist extremism, not banditry, kidnapping, says Gov. Abdulrazaq". Businessday NG. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  35. ↑ "Kwara Killing: Gov Abdulrazaq Visits Community, 75 Victims Buried". New Telegraph. 5 February 2026. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  36. ↑ "Osun Governor Orders Heightened Border Security After Massacre In Neighbouring Kwara, Extends Condolences | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  37. ↑ "Trump admin condemns 'horrific' Nigeria attack". Newsweek. 6 February 2026. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  38. ↑ "Türkiye condemns terrorist attack in Nigeria that killed at least 170". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  39. ↑ "UN chief slams terrorist attack in Kwara, calls for justice". PM News Nigeria. Archived from the original on 7 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  40. ↑ "UN, African Union condemn terrorist attack in Nigeria that killed at least 170". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
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