Woro, a quiet farming community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, was transformed from a peaceful settlement into a scene of horror following a deadly terrorist attack that struck on Tuesday evening, leaving scores dead and homes reduced to ashes by dawn.
Residents said the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles around 5 p.m., surrounded the village and opened fire from different directions, catching villagers off guard as they went about their normal evening routines. The assailants reportedly moved from house to house, killing residents, setting buildings ablaze and forcing survivors to flee into nearby bushes.
Accounts from community leaders and survivors suggest the attackers had inside knowledge of the village, with informants allegedly guiding them to key locations and homes of prominent figures. Traditional rulers in the area disclosed that the terrorists had previously visited Woro under the guise of preaching, raising suspicions that the community had long been under surveillance.
Although security agencies were reportedly alerted ahead of the attack, residents lamented the slow response, claiming the gunmen operated for several hours without resistance. By the time calm returned, dozens lay dead, many injured, while several others were feared abducted.
By Wednesday morning, Woro had become a ghost town. Burnt houses, destroyed shops and mass burials painted a grim picture of a community struggling to comprehend the scale of the tragedy. Survivors accused informants within and around the village of aiding the attackers, a claim echoed by traditional authorities.
The massacre has sparked renewed calls for a permanent security presence in vulnerable rural communities across Kwara and neighbouring states, as well as a thorough investigation into intelligence failures that allowed the attack to occur.
Authorities have since condemned the assault and vowed to hunt down those responsible, as grieving families begin the painful task of rebuilding lives shattered overnight.
Vanguard News