In a harrowing account of the recent terrorist attack on Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area, the village head, Umar Salihu, has disclosed that security forces arrived approximately 10 hours after the assault began, allowing the perpetrators to carry out a prolonged rampage that claimed numerous lives.
The attack, which occurred on the evening of February 4, 2026, saw jihadist fighters, believed to be affiliated with Boko Haram or related terrorist cells, invade the community around 5 p.m.
The assailants, angered by the villagers' rejection of their attempts at ideological indoctrination, unleashed violence that lasted until about 3 a.m. the following day. Reports indicate that at least 162 people were killed, with bodies still being recovered from the bush, and many homes and shops were torched.
Umar Salihu, who lost two sons in the massacre and had his second wife and three daughters abducted, recounted the ordeal: "I called about 5 p.m., but they did not come until about 3 a.m. That was from 5 p.m. to about 3 a.m. That is about 10 hours."
He further noted that the terrorists had fled by the time soldiers arrived, with no engagement or air interdiction occurring during the attack. "The military did not attack them. The bandits had gone when the military came," Salihu stated.
The village head attributed the vulnerability to the withdrawal of a military base three to five months prior, following an earlier attack on soldiers.
He emphasized that prior warnings, including a letter from the terrorists requesting to preach in the village, were reported to authorities but seemingly not acted upon effectively. "We have no security presence in that area. That gave them the opportunity to come anytime," Salihu explained.
In response to the tragedy, President Bola Tinubu condemned the "cowardly and barbaric" act and directed the immediate deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama under Operation Savannah Shield to protect communities and pursue the attackers.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the incident as a "cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells" and ordered enhanced security measures, resulting in the presence of about 80 agents in the area. The Inspector-General of Police has also launched a manhunt and investigations.
This incident highlights ongoing security challenges in Nigeria's north central region, where armed groups continue to exploit gaps in response times. Amnesty International has labeled it a "stunning security failure," calling for urgent reforms to prevent future atrocities.