Gunmen killed scores of residents in an attack on two neighboring villages in western Nigeria, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the country in recent months amid a deepening security crisis, according to reporting by the Associated Press (AP).
The assault took place Tuesday evening in the villages of Woro and Nuku, in Kwara State. Mohammed Omar Bio, a lawmaker representing the area in Nigeria’s parliament, said at least 162 people were killed. Amnesty International cited a higher figure, reporting that more than 170 people died, with homes set ablaze and shops looted during the raid, and describing the incident as a “stunning security failure.”
Expanding Security Threats
Nigeria is facing overlapping security challenges, including a long-running Islamist insurgency and a surge in kidnappings and attacks by criminal gangs commonly referred to as “bandits.” While bandit activity has historically been concentrated in northwestern Nigeria, recent months have seen violence spread into other regions, including Kwara State.
Militant activity has also broadened geographically, with a conflict once largely confined to the northeast increasingly affecting western and central areas, stretching the country’s security forces.
Among the most prominent armed groups is Boko Haram, which launched its insurgency in 2009. Other extremist factions operating in Nigeria include groups affiliated with the so-called Islamic State, notably the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the Islamic State Sahel Province, locally known as Lakurawa, AP reported.
Responsibility Disputed
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the Woro and Nuku attack. Lawmaker Mohammed Omar Bio attributed the assault to Lakurawa, an Islamic State-linked faction. However, James Barnett, a researcher at the Washington-based Hudson Institute, told AP the attack was more likely carried out by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, a Boko Haram faction linked to previous massacres in the region.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said the attack may have been retaliation for recent counter-terrorism operations, suggesting it was intended to distract security forces pursuing armed and kidnapping gangs across the state.
International Cooperation
The violence occurred as the United States steps up security cooperation with Nigeria. The head of U.S. Africa Command said a small team of American military officers had been deployed to Nigeria at the government’s request to provide intelligence support, according to AP.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries have shifted toward closer collaboration in recent months, including U.S. airstrikes against Islamic State-affiliated militants and renewed pledges to deliver previously delayed military equipment such as drones and helicopters.
Analysts note that although Christian communities have been among those targeted in various attacks, the majority of victims of extremist violence in Nigeria are Muslims in the country’s northern regions, where most incidents occur. The latest killings in Kwara highlight the continued spread of insecurity beyond its traditional strongholds and the mounting challenges facing Nigerian authorities.
