Central-western Nigeria is once again in mourning. On Tuesday, February 3, the village of Woro , located in Kwara State, was the target of a massacre of rare violence. According to a report from the local Red Cross, at least 162 people lost their lives to gunfire from armed men.

The toll is still uncertain but heavy.

While the Red Cross reports 162 victims, the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, stated in a video address that 75 deaths had been reported. The search continues for any bodies missing in the rubble. In addition to the loss of life, the attackers have sown chaos.

1. Material destruction: Shops and the royal palace were set on fire.
2. Notable disappearance: Sa'idu Baba Ahmed, a local member of parliament, expressed his concern about the fate of the village king, of whom there has been no news.

The motives for the attack: rejection of extremism

President Bola Tinubu and the local governor both praised the courage of the residents of Woro. Although predominantly Muslim, the community was reportedly targeted for refusing to join the radical and violent version of Islam espoused by the attackers. The president called the act "cowardly and bestial."

The security response

Faced with this tragedy, the federal government reacted promptly:

1. Military deployment: An army battalion has been sent to the Kaiama district.
2. Identifying the culprits: The presidency points the finger at Boko Haram terrorists, although the region is also infested with "bandits" (criminal gangs specializing in looting and kidnapping).
3. Crisis context: This attack comes as a state of security emergency has been in place since the end of November to try to curb the expansion of armed groups towards the south of the country.

Endemic insecurity

Kwara State, once relatively untouched, is now under pressure from groups driven out of the north by the army. Despite the efforts of the authorities—including curfews and logistical support from the United States—the porous regional borders allow criminal groups to relocate their operations, transforming the area into a new hotbed of insecurity in Nigeria.