Photo: Kwara Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
Suspected bandits have carried out a deadly raid on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, leaving dozens feared dead, with residents reporting that about 70 victims were buried in a mass funeral on Wednesday.
Local sources said the attackers struck Tuesday evening, unleashing violence that forced many villagers to flee into nearby bushes and hideouts. The scale of the casualties only became clearer by the following day when emergency burials were conducted.
The Chairman of Kaiama LGA, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi Danladi, visited the affected settlements on Wednesday alongside other officials to commiserate with residents and review the damage caused by the attack.
During the visit, the village head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Saliu Tanko, recounted how the incident unfolded in his absence. He said he was attending to his business when gunmen invaded the community and attacked his household, killing his daughter and two sons. He added that his junior wife and two other residents were taken away by the assailants.
A resident, Razaq Abdulazeez, described scenes of panic as news of the invasion spread. According to him, he met crowds fleeing toward the outskirts while returning home and immediately rushed to evacuate his family.
He said they escaped into the bush for safety, while some villagers who could not run far reportedly climbed trees to avoid being detected by the attackers.
Residents said fear still grips the area, with uncertainty over the fate of some abducted persons and no confirmed official casualty figure yet released by authorities. Investigations and security responses are ongoing.
