Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday to brief him on the deadly terrorist attack in Kaiama Local Government Area and discuss immediate security measures.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the governor revealed that President Tinubu has directed the Nigerian military to eliminate the terrorists responsible for the assault and restore total peace in the affected region.
AbdulRazaq confirmed that the first commander of the newly established Operation Savannah Shield has arrived in Kwara State (Ilorin) and is already “hitting the ground running.”
“I came to brief Mr. President about what happened in Kaiama Local Government of Kwara State and also to thank him for the prompt action taken by establishing Operation Savannah Shield. That will go a long way in deterring and bringing calm to the region in Kwara State,” the governor stated.
He added: “After meeting the President, I’m confident because as I speak to you, the first commander for Operation Savannah Shield has reported in Kwara State, Ilorin today, and he’s hitting the ground running and we rely on the military to do what they do best.”
“Mr. President has directed the armed forces to move in and to clean up the place and make sure peace and calm are restored.”
The Thursday meeting followed the Tuesday evening attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama LGA, where gunmen killed over 100 residents, burned homes, shops, and the palace of the Emir of Woro (Alhaji Saliu Umar), who remains missing along with several family members and other villagers.
Governor AbdulRazaq had earlier visited the affected communities on Wednesday night, describing the massacre as a “cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells” reacting to successful counterterrorism operations in the state.
President Tinubu had condemned the killings on Wednesday night as “cowardly and inhumane” and approved the immediate deployment of an army battalion to lead Operation Savannah Shield, aimed at neutralizing the attackers and protecting vulnerable border communities.
The latest developments indicate intensified federal-state collaboration to address the escalating threat of extremist violence in Kwara and neighboring states.
