At least 162 people have been killed in a gun attack on a village in Nigeria’s west-central Kwara state, one of the deadliest incidents in the country in recent months, according to the Red Cross.
The assault occurred late on Tuesday in Woro, in Kaiama Local Government Area, days after the military said it had carried out operations in the area against what it described as “terrorist elements.”
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq initially confirmed 75 deaths on Wednesday night while addressing residents at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama.
AbdulRazaq said the victims were “local Muslims massacred for refusing to surrender to extremists preaching a strange doctrine.”
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However, Babaomo Ayodeji, the state secretary of the Red Cross disclosed that by Wednesday, the death toll had more than doubled, revising an earlier figure of 67.
“Reports said that the death toll now stands at 162, as the search for more bodies continues,” he said.
A local lawmaker of the area, Sa’idu Baba Ahmed revealed the gunmen invaded Woro at about 6:00 pm (1700 GMT), setting shops and the king’s palace on fire.
Ahmed said between 35 and 40 bodies were initially counted, warning that more could be discovered.
“Many others escaped into the bush with gunshots,” Ahmed said, adding that the whereabouts of the traditional ruler, Alhaji Salihu Umar were unknown.
Consequently AbdulRazaq said President Bola Tinubu had approved the immediate deployment of an army battalion under Operation Savannah Shield to launch counter-offensives against the attackers.
He described the assault as “a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following the ongoing counterterrorism campaigns in parts of the state.”