PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kwara State after a deadly terrorist attack claimed numerous lives and destroyed property in the state.
In a statement issued late yesterday, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said the deployment is aimed at curbing the activities of what he described as “barbaric terrorists” and safeguarding vulnerable communities.
According to him, the troops will lead a new military formation under Operation Savannah Shield.
Condemning the incident, President Tinubu described the attackers as “heartless,” accusing them of targeting unarmed civilians as part of a failed campaign of terror.
He expressed outrage that residents were killed for rejecting attempts to force extremist beliefs on them.
The president commended members of the affected community, noting that despite being Muslims, they refused to embrace an ideology that promotes violence instead of peace and dialogue.
He also offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
Tinubu called for stronger collaboration between federal and state authorities to provide relief to the victims and ensure those responsible for the attack are brought to justice.
The assault on Woro Village reportedly left more than 160 people dead, with shops and the residence of a traditional ruler set ablaze.
Many residents were forced to flee into nearby bushes to escape the violence. Reports indicate that the attack followed the villagers’ refusal to submit to indoctrination by an extremist group known as Mahmuda.
The incident occurred shortly after the military carried out operations in the area targeting terrorist elements. In a statement issued on January 30, the military said it had conducted sustained coordinated offensives, destroying several previously inaccessible camps and disrupting the group’s logistics.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, the Kwara State Government imposed curfews in affected areas and temporarily shut down schools, which reopened earlier this week.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has since visited the community, describing the attack as genocide and pledging that the perpetrators operating across Kwara and Niger State borders would be eliminated within a month.
