Overview
- Gunmen on motorbikes attacked Woro and Nuku in a roughly 10-hour rampage, shooting residents, burning homes and shops, and luring worshippers with a call to prayer before killing them.
- Authorities report at least 162 deaths, while survivors say they have buried nearly 200 people and report kidnappings of many others.
- Residents say no security forces arrived during the assault, a claim the Kwara state police spokesperson rejects, creating conflicting accounts of the response.
- The government has deployed an army battalion and announced a new military operation in Kwara following the killings.
- Analysts warn the violence reflects a southward spread of Nigeria’s insurgency involving multiple armed groups, as the U.S. has supported Nigeria with weapons and conducted airstrikes in December.