Survivors of Tuesday’s deadly terrorist attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have recounted harrowing details of how the gunmen used a deceptive call to prayer to lure victims before opening fire.
The assault, which claimed over 160 lives, began in the late afternoon amid a typical harmattan scene—dry, dust-laden air and farmers returning from fields. Young men, including 26-year-old schoolteacher Umar Bio Kabir, had gathered for a routine football game when a large convoy of armed men on motorcycles rode into the village.
Kabir, who survived, said the calm shattered instantly as the attackers began indiscriminate shooting. Some of his friends playing football were among those killed.
“God said I would survive or else I would have been among the dead,” Kabir recounted.
Another survivor, Razaq Abdulazeez, was returning home when he saw people fleeing. He rushed to gather his family and escaped into the bush on the village outskirts.
“Those who couldn’t run climbed trees to hide,” he said.
Reports indicate that in one community, the terrorists entered a mosque, announced the call to prayer (Adhan), and shot everyone who responded. The targeted villages—Woro and Nuku—are largely Muslim communities.
The gunmen fired sporadically for about 10 hours, burning homes, shops, and the palace of the Emir of Woro (Alhaji Saliu Umar), who remains missing along with several family members, the Chief Imam, a school principal, and students.
At least 50 survivors are receiving treatment in hospitals for gunshot wounds and other injuries. Senator representing Kwara North, Sadiq Umar, has visited some of the injured.
Scores of residents have fled to neighbouring towns, abandoning villages and farmlands. By Thursday, only about 20 men remained in Woro, tasked with the grim duty of burying dozens of victims in mass graves.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has deployed a response team from its Minna Operations Office to assess needs and coordinate relief efforts in collaboration with the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and security agencies.
NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar expressed sympathy and assured full support for the affected communities.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who visited the area earlier, announced a seven-man committee headed by former lawmaker Alhaji Ahmed Kiwozi to interface with community leaders on rebuilding efforts, survivor needs, and other issues. The committee has four weeks to submit its report.
The United States condemned the killings as “horrific,” offering condolences and welcoming President Bola Tinubu’s deployment of security forces and directive for aid and justice.
Former Minister of Information Lai Mohammed postponed his planned book donation to tertiary institutions in Kwara out of respect for the victims and will announce a new date later.
The attack has heightened calls for intensified security along the Kwara-Niger border and renewed scrutiny of counterterrorism efforts in north-central Nigeria.
