Dozens of people have been killed following a brutal armed attack on two villages in Nigeria’s western Kwara State, according to government officials and human rights organisations.
The assailants reportedly stormed the villages of Nuku and Woro, setting homes and shops ablaze, including the residence of the traditional ruler, and forcing residents to flee. A local lawmaker, Saidu Baba Ahmed, told BBC Hausa that the scale of the destruction triggered widespread panic in the area.
Authorities have blamed jihadist-linked groups for the violence, prompting the deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama constituency in Kwara State.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, is one of several deadly incidents recorded across Nigeria in recent days. It also coincided with confirmation by Nigeria’s Defence Minister that a small contingent of US troops is currently in the country to provide intelligence and training support.
President Bola Tinubu blamed Islamist militant group Boko Haram for the attack, while another lawmaker, Mohammed Omar Bio, identified Lakurawa—an armed group linked to Islamic State—as responsible, according to the Associated Press.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said at least 75 local Muslims were “massacred in cold blood” for refusing to submit to extremist demands and ideology.
Initial reports indicated at least 35 fatalities, but human rights groups later revised the figure sharply upward. A Red Cross official in the state, Babaomo Ayodeji, told AFP that the death toll had risen to 162, with search efforts still ongoing.
Amnesty International put the number even higher, saying more than 170 people were killed, many of them shot at close range, while others were reportedly burnt alive. The organisation added that several people were abducted during the attack, which it said occurred amid a “stunning absence of adequate security,” and called for a thorough investigation.
In a related incident, Amnesty International reported that 21 people were also killed in an attack on Doma village in Katsina State.
The violence comes as Nigeria officially acknowledged, for the first time, the presence of American troops in the country since US President Donald Trump ordered the military in November to prepare for possible action against Islamist militants. Defence Minister Christopher Musa confirmed the deployment but declined to disclose details, including the number of troops, their location or duration of stay.
His comments followed remarks by US Africa Command (Africom) General Dagvin Anderson, who said the deployment was at Nigeria’s request and focused on intelligence support.
Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple security threats, including armed banditry, Islamist insurgency, farmer-herder conflicts and separatist unrest.
Kwara State Police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi told the BBC that the attack on Nuku and Woro began around 5:30pm local time on Tuesday and blamed suspected bandits. She said security personnel have since been deployed, although casualty figures and reports of missing persons remain unclear.
The whereabouts of the traditional ruler of the area are still unknown.
According to the local MP, the assault followed a series of smaller attacks in the area in recent days.
“They began shooting sporadically, burned shops and homes, and at least 35 bodies were retrieved initially. More may be found as some victims fled into the forest with gunshot wounds,” he said, describing the situation as chaotic and terrifying.
Although bandit groups have historically operated mainly in north-western Nigeria, they have increasingly expanded into other regions, including Kwara and Niger states. In addition, jihadist factions, some believed to be linked to a Boko Haram splinter group, have carried out targeted attacks in the area.
Governor AbdulRazaq suggested that the violence may have been a retaliation against recent counter-terrorism operations in the region, aimed at dismantling terrorist and kidnapping networks.
