The village head of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, Umar Salihu, has revealed that terrorists unleashed a coordinated assault on the area for nearly 10 hours before security forces eventually arrived, resulting in heavy loss of lives and widespread destruction.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday, Salihu said the attack began around 5:00 p.m., but despite repeated distress calls to security agencies, troops did not arrive until about 3:00 a.m. the following day.
According to him, the prolonged delay gave the attackers ample time to carry out mass killings and burn down large sections of the community.
Salihu alleged that security intelligence may have been compromised, noting that he had earlier reported a threat letter received by the community to relevant authorities.
“I made the first call around 5:00 p.m., but security only showed up around 3:00 a.m. That means the community was left at the mercy of the attackers for almost 10 hours,” he said.
He disclosed that by the time soldiers arrived, the terrorists had already retreated into the surrounding forests, with no confrontation taking place.
“The military did not engage them at all. The attackers had already left before security forces arrived,” Salihu stated.
He also confirmed that no air support was deployed during the attack.
“There was no air interdiction. No aircraft engaged them or dropped any munitions,” he added.
The village head explained that Woro had been left exposed after troops previously stationed in the area were withdrawn following an earlier attack on the military base.
“We used to have about 15 soldiers stationed here. After the soldiers were attacked about three to five months ago, they were evacuated, and since then, there has been no security presence,” he said.
Salihu said the absence of security made it easy for the terrorists to strike at will.
He identified the attackers as members of the Mamuda terrorist group, adding that the violence was triggered by the community’s refusal to accept the group’s extremist ideology.
“Our people rejected their ideology, and that angered them. That is why they came back to attack the community,” he said.
He dismissed claims that the killings were religiously motivated, clarifying that most of the victims were Muslims.
“About 95 percent of those killed are Muslims, while about five percent are Christians. This was not a religious conflict,” he stressed.
Salihu further revealed that when the threat letter was delivered to him, he immediately forwarded it to the Department of State Services (DSS) in Kaiama and later submitted a copy to the Emirate Council.
“In that process, I believe the right intelligence channel was lost. When security agents later went on patrol, the terrorists became angry,” he said.
He confirmed that at least 75 victims had been buried so far, while more bodies were still being recovered from surrounding bushes and farmlands.
“As of yesterday, we had buried 75 people, but corpses are still being found. Nearly half of the village was burnt, including my own house,” he disclosed.
Salihu confirmed that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq visited the affected communities, assessed the damage, and ordered immediate reinforcement of security.
“The governor came personally, saw the destruction, and gave directives. About 15 soldiers were first deployed, and security personnel have now increased to about 80,” he said.
Reports earlier in the week indicated that at least 160 residents were killed in what has been described as one of the deadliest rural attacks recorded in 2026, intensifying national concerns over insecurity in the North-Central region.
On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama LGA, describing the attackers as “heartless” for targeting defenceless communities.
The president also held an emergency closed-door meeting with Governor AbdulRazaq at the State House in Abuja as part of consultations on security and humanitarian responses to the massacre.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that the attack on Woro and neighbouring communities was carried out by terrorists angered by the residents’ refusal to submit to ideological indoctrination.
In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, the military described the assault as a cowardly act of terror and expressed condolences to affected families.
According to the DHQ, the terrorists had earlier sought permission to carry out preaching and indoctrination activities in Woro, a request that was firmly rejected by the community.
The military said troops were initially deployed to the area and maintained patrols and surveillance for about two weeks before being withdrawn, after which the attackers returned.
The Armed Forces of Nigeria commended residents for standing firm against extremist ideology and urged Nigerians to remain loyal to constitutional values, warning against attempts by violent groups to impose distorted beliefs through terror.
