Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State was thrown into mourning on Tuesday after armed terrorists launched a coordinated attack that left many residents dead, several injured and dozens abducted.
The attack occurred around 5 p.m. on a day the community was unusually busy, as residents and visitors had gathered for a large wedding ceremony while youths were also engaged in a football tournament.
Survivors said the attackers arrived on motorcycles in large numbers, striking without warning. Three survivors — Ibrahim Farouk and Joshua Deme, both farmers, and Usman Bangoro, a miner — narrated their ordeal from their hospital beds in Ilorin, where they are receiving treatment for gunshot injuries.
According to them, the terrorists came in groups of three on motorcycles, armed with guns and ammunition strapped around their bodies. Many of the attackers were reportedly teenagers, some believed to be as young as 15 years old. They said the assailants had surrounded the community before launching the assault, shooting indiscriminately at anyone in sight.
Residents who attempted to flee were chased into nearby bushes and gunned down, while bombs were thrown into houses and shops, setting several buildings ablaze. The attackers, the survivors said, appeared determined to wipe out the entire community.
By Friday morning, at least 35 additional bodies were recovered from surrounding forests, further raising the death toll.
“They Came to Kill Everyone” — Survivor
One of the survivors, Ibrahim Farouk, a farmer who has lived in Woro for over 15 years, said the attackers had earlier sent a message claiming they wanted to come and preach. However, the village head reportedly declined the request.
“We live peacefully in that community. They came straight to our houses and attacked us,” Farouk said. “Some of us are farmers from Plateau, Kebbi, Sokoto and Kaduna states who settled there many years ago.”
Farouk recounted how he was shot while approaching his house on a motorcycle.
“There were three of them on one bike. One asked me to stop, another said I should go, but the third said he wanted to test whether a bullet would penetrate my body. He shot me in the thigh and they left me there,” he said.
He was later rescued and taken to Ilorin for treatment. He added that several victims sustained severe injuries, with bullets breaking bones in some cases, while others were taken to hospitals in Kainji.
Farouk also alleged that the attackers abducted 75 people, including women and children, using a community vehicle. He further claimed that a bomb was planted along the Kaiama road, which exploded when a trailer carrying soya beans ran over it, burning the vehicle.
Teenagers Among the Attackers
Another survivor, Joshua Deme, said he was shot while trying to understand what was happening after hearing gunshots.
“We saw bandits everywhere. The younger ones were shooting while the older ones were burning houses,” he said. “The one who shot me was not even up to 15 years old.”
Deme said his friend was killed in front of him, and when the attackers’ gun initially failed, one of them accused him of being a witch before ordering a younger accomplice to shoot him.
“They thought I was dead because I didn’t move,” he said. “Those who ran were chased on motorcycles and killed in the bush.”
He said his wife and children managed to escape and are on their way to Jos.
Deme also revealed that security agencies had earlier been alerted about the threat after a letter was reportedly taken to the Kaiama Emir. Soldiers were deployed to the area for three days but left shortly before the attack occurred.
“They Wore Army Uniform” — Miner
Usman Bangoro, a miner from Tambuwal in Sokoto State, said the attackers disguised themselves in army uniforms.
“You would think they were soldiers,” he said. “As people were running, they were shooting at close range.”
Bangoro sustained gunshot wounds to both thighs, with bullets breaking his bones. He described the attackers as emaciated but extremely dangerous.
“I have lived in the community for more than 10 years as a miner. It is only God that spared my life,” he said.
Residents are now calling on the government to intensify security operations in the area, particularly in surrounding forests believed to serve as hideouts for the attackers, to prevent further attacks and restore safety to rural communities in Kwara State.
Bloodbath in Kwara: Terrorists Storm Woro Community, Kill Scores, Abduct 75
