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By Goli Innocent
The Kwara State Police Command has provided fresh details on how security agencies responded to the deadly attack that left at least 75 people dead in parts of Kwara North, saying the area has since stabilised while efforts to apprehend the perpetrators continue.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said police officers, alongside other security agencies, were deployed to the affected communities immediately the attack was reported, following directives from the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Ejire-Adeyemi said the attacked communities Woro and Nuku are located nearly two hours from Kayama Local Government Area, but security forces moved in without delay.
“Once the incident was reported, the Commissioner of Police ordered the immediate deployment of officers to the area,” she said.
“Our men worked with the military and the National Forest Guard to respond swiftly.”
The police spokesperson disclosed that investigations are ongoing following intelligence suggesting the attackers may have infiltrated the communities earlier and remained there before launching the assault.
“We are investigating reports that the attackers possibly came earlier and stayed within the community before carrying out that dastardly act,” Ejire-Adeyemi said.
She described the killings as tragic and unfortunate, assuring residents that security agencies are working around the clock to prevent a recurrence.
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According to her, clearance operations are currently underway across parts of Kwara State and neighbouring Kogi State, aimed at dismantling criminal hideouts and restoring lasting peace in the region.
“There had been relative peace in Kwara South until this incident occurred in Kwara North,” she noted, adding that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has reinforced security presence in the affected areas.
Gunmen had attacked Woro community and the neighbouring Nuku area at about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, killing no fewer than 75 people.
The assailants also set shops ablaze, burnt the residence of a traditional ruler, and forced many residents to flee into nearby bushes.
The scale of the attack sparked nationwide outrage, with the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) condemning the killings in Kwara, Katsina, and Benue states as “barbaric, senseless, and a direct assault on the nation’s conscience.”
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, described the incident as a “pure massacre,” confirming that victims had since been buried.
In response to the violence, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kwara State to reinforce ongoing security operations and prevent further attacks.
Ejire-Adeyemi said the situation has now stabilised but stressed that the hunt for those responsible is far from over.
“As of now, the area is relatively peaceful, and operations are ongoing to arrest the perpetrators,” she said.
