48 hours of carnage: Over 130 lives lost in 3 states

More than 130 persons have been killed in attacks by gunmen at communities in Kwara, Katsina and Benue states within the last 48 hours.

In Kwara, residents said at least 100 people were killed by bandits who struck at Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area on Tuesday. Seventy five bodies were said to have been buried.

Some of the residents, who spoke to Daily Trust yesterday, said they had continued to discover more bodies; while the search for missing persons was still ongoing on Wednesday.

It was gathered that the attack had forced many people to flee their homes.

The assailants, who were said to have operated for several hours, burnt houses, shops and vehicles.

Woro is located about 30 kilometres from Kaiama town and approximately 35 kilometres from Wawa in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, around the Kainji National Park axis.

My 2 sons killed, wife kidnapped-Village head

The community head, Alhaji Salihu Bio Umar, who spoke to Daily Trust last night, confirmed the kidnapping and killing of his children.

“75 people have been identified and some got burnt completely beyond recognition including Muslims and Christians. Others are yet to be traced up till this moment. We estimated about a hundred people with some corpses still in the bush and my palace was burnt. However we have information that some bodies are still in the bush.

“One of the bandits’ landmines caught a commercial truck and got burnt beyond recognition.

“Two of my sons have been killed. They left with my Highlander Jeep. They also burnt all the shops in the community.”

The Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Omar, also corroborated the village’s head casualties figures Wednesday night.

According to him, “75 bodies had been buried so far with several others still missing.”

He said Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is already in the town to assess the situation.

“Since the recent arrest of Mahmuda leaders and their boys, they have become very violent. The soldiers that were initially stationed there were withdrawn after a deadly ambush. I learnt the bandits operated from 5pm to around 4am unchallenged,” he said.

Residents said heavily armed gunmen, who arrived in large numbers on motorcycles, first converged on a secondary school in the community before launching a coordinated assault.

“They came around 5pm on Tuesday, most of them wearing Army uniforms, and started shooting,” a survivor, Dr Abdul Woro, told Daily Trust.

“They burnt houses, shops, vehicles and destroyed almost everything. As we speak, we have counted about 70 dead bodies, and several others were taken away, mostly women and children,” he said.

“They started around 5pm on Tuesday and continued until the early hours of Wednesday. This is not the first time our village is being attacked, but it is the most devastating,” he said.

He recalled that soldiers were once permanently stationed in the community but later withdrew after repeated gun battles with bandits at the checkpoint.

“Since then, we have been expecting something like this,” he added.

He said most of the victims were men, while women and children were largely abducted.

Another resident, Idris Muhammed, described the attack as the worst the community had ever experienced.

“We are still discovering corpses because our people are combing the bush. Over 80 bodies have been discovered so far. This is the first time we are having such a huge casualty due to insurgency,” he said.

He added that the attackers killed two sons of the village head, burnt his house and used his vehicle to convey kidnapped victims to an unknown destination.

According to him, the bandits recently regrouped after military operations in the Kainji axis and began by attacking military roadblocks, forcing soldiers to withdraw from some locations.

“They came in large numbers and with heavy weapons. We have been calling for help, but the government is not giving us the needed attention,” he said.

Another resident, Mohammed Gana, said the attackers came through the forest and stayed in the community for hours before launching the assault.

“They gathered at a secondary school in the evening. People were afraid to alert authorities. By Maghrib time, they started burning and killing everything in sight,” he said.

He called for a permanent military presence in the area, warning that temporary clearance operations would not guarantee lasting security.

The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Adekimi Ojo, described the attack as “very unfortunate”.

“The Brigade Commander just entered the community and my DPO has been there since morning. We have not gathered full details yet, but the death toll is high,” he said.

Ojo attributed the attack to an ISWAP-linked group operating around the Kainji National Park.

“We learnt there was a time they wrote a letter that they were coming to preach, but the village head refused. I am sure this incident is a kind of reprisal for that refusal,” he said.

He added that the ongoing clearance operation was expected to extend to Kwara, Niger and Kogi states.

The chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area, Hon Abubakar Abdullahi, confirmed that 75 corpses had been physically counted and buried.

“Some bodies are still in the bush, while others were burnt beyond recognition. About 10 people who were shot but the bullet did not penetrate were gathered and burnt alive,” he said.

Abdullahi said the attackers rode into the community in twos and threes on motorcycles, carrying AK-47 rifles with live ammunition.

He disclosed that the attackers killed two sons and a daughter of the village head, who had just graduated from a higher institution, and abducted his last wife.

“They also killed two chief imams who rejected their ideology,” he said.

According to him, the bandits planted explosives on the road when they learnt soldiers were approaching, and a commercial truck ran into one of the devices and was burnt.

He said only the Woro community was attacked this time around although they had previously attacked Nuku, a nearby community.

“But the entire village has now been deserted after shops and houses were razed”, he said.

The council chairman said soldiers, including senior commanders from Sobi and Shaki formations, were currently in the community.

He added that about five injured victims were taken to the General Hospital in Kaiama and later referred to Ilorin for further treatment.

Confirming the incident, a vigilante commander, Gina Gbugbu, said recent military operations around Edu, Ifelodun and Patigi local government areas had neutralised many bandits.

“We never knew our military had such heavy weapons. They massacred many of the bandits,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that the attack comes amid sustained military operations across parts of Kwara State aimed at dismantling bandit and terrorist networks operating around the Kainji National Park axis and other forested enclaves.

Last week, troops of the 22 Armoured Brigade under the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division, with support from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), launched Operation Igbo Danu, also known as Operation Forest Flush, targeting bandit hideouts across several local government areas.

Military authorities said the offensive led to the neutralisation of several terrorists, destruction of their camps and logistics bases, clearance of Garin Dandi enclave in Ifelodun Local Government Area, and rescue of kidnapped victims, forcing surviving fighters to flee into the forests with suspected gunshot wounds.

The operations, according to the Army, have significantly degraded the terrorists’ supply lines and freedom of movement, although intelligence indicates that some bandits receive support from collaborators within nearby communities who provide early warning of troop movements.

Following the relative gains recorded by security forces, the Kwara State Government on Sunday approved the reopening of schools across the state from February 2, 2026, citing improved security conditions and sustained vigilance by security agencies.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, while condemning the Kaiama attack, said the assault appeared to be a desperate response by terrorist cells to the ongoing counterterrorism campaigns and recent successes recorded by security forces across different parts of the state.

20 killed in Katsina

Bandits on Tuesday killed at least 20 people in an attack on Doma A and Doma B communities, Tafoki ward, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Residents said the bloodshed followed the collapse of a community-driven peace arrangement that had offered a brief respite from years of banditry.

According to locals, days before the attack, youths in the area had killed a repentant bandit said to be a close associate of Kwashen Garwa, a known peace broker in Faskari and seized his AK-47 rifle.

They said the incident was reported to Kwashen Garwa, who allegedly demanded that the rifle be returned to prevent a breakdown of the peace agreement. But the weapon was never returned.

“We raised alarm and informed the relevant security agencies that the bandits were planning to attack us. But nothing was done. We were left on our own,” said a resident, who preferred not to be named.

Residents said armed men stormed Doma A and Doma B communities, killing men, women and youths, and injuring several others.

The remains of the victims were buried in Tafoki village, the ward headquarters.

Malam Bala, a resident of Doma, who lost his child in the attack, struggled to contain his emotions as he spoke to Daily Trust’s correspondent.

“Is there really a government in this country? They have failed us. We have been abandoned and left at the mercy of these killers,” he said.

Other residents, who spoke to our correspondent, accused authorities of neglect and silence despite repeated warnings.

Abdul Tafoki, a resident, said the collapse of the peace deal has left the communities feeling exposed and desperate.

“The peace we trusted has failed. What is left for us now is to defend ourselves. The government has failed everyone here,” he said.

The police spokesperson in Katsina, Sadik Aliyu, confirmed the attack, saying 13 people were killed.

Aliyu, in a statement, said police and other security personnel are trailing the perpetrators with a view to bringing them to justice.

He said, “On February 3rd, 2026, at about 1400 hrs, a distress call was received at Faskari Division that some suspected armed bandits, armed with dangerous weapons and shooting sporadically, attacked Doma village, Faskari LGA, Katsina State.

“Upon receipt of the report, quickly, the DPO mobilised operatives, in collaboration with the military, and members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC) responded to the scene.

“Unfortunately, the assailants had shot 13 persons and escaped the scene before the arrival of the operatives.

“Normalcy has since been restored to the affected area as investigations have since commenced with a view to unraveling the circumstances surrounding the incident and arresting the perpetrators.”

Senate seeks military barracks in Katsina

The Senate yesterday decried the escalating security situation in Katsina State, particularly in the Funtua area, asking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fulfill his pledge to establish a military barracks there. It also cautioned against negotiation with bandits.

The matter was brought through a motion of urgent public importance under Order 42, sponsored by Senator Dandutse Mohammed (Katsina South).

Mohammed said as of Tuesday, no fewer than 35 persons had been killed in attacks across the Funtua zone within a span of less than 24 hours.

He said 24 persons were killed in Faskari Local Government Area, eight in Bakori, two in Funtua Local Government Area and one in Kankara Local Government Area.

He said: “The continuous bandit attacks on communities will significantly affect food production and agricultural activities, as more than 50,000 farmlands are presently inaccessible, thereby jeopardising food security and the livelihoods of the people.

“I urge President Bola Tinubu and the security agencies to ensure rapid and sustained intervention until all criminal elements are eliminated. I also urge him to fulfil his pledge to establish a new military barracks in the Funtua Zone.”

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau called for deployment of more troops and advanced technology.

He said: “I am aware that Mr President had instructed the military to be fully engaged in Katsina, particularly around the Funtua axis, to tackle the menace of banditry.

“The military is doing well, and I commend them, but the determination of these bandits shows that we need to do more. We need to add more force, deploy more technology, and deal with this situation decisively.

“I strongly support this motion because of its importance to food security and national stability.”

Policeman, 16 villagers killed in Benue

Gunmen also on Tuesday, killed 17 people, including a mobile policeman at a rural market in Abande settlement of Mbaikyor ward in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

Locals told our correspondent on telephone that the attack occurred during the Abande market day when residents were buying and selling goods.

A former supervisory councillor in Kwande LGA, Akerigba Lawrence, also said the attackers opened fire on traders and residents, killing several people on the spot.

He said shops were also looted, with traders alleging that cash and goods worth more than N150 million were taken, before the entire market where Cameroonians also trade alongside indigenes was set ablaze.

Lawrence explained that as of about 11:55pm on Tuesday, bodies of some of the victims had been evacuated to Jato Aka by personnel of the Mobile Police Force stationed in the area.

The former local government officials noted that several other residents were said to be missing as of press time, adding that the attackers carted away seven new motorcycles belonging to victims.

Also, Dr Joseph Akanyi, who is the President-General of Nyiev-ya Development Association, said women were raped during the incident, with many people still missing.

Akanyi called on the federal government to establish a military barracks in the mountainous area so that the people who have been under attack for over 14 years now can return to their communities.

Our correspondent reports that the affected Abande community sits close to Anwase, another community where more than 28 people were reportedly killed during attacks on Christmas Day in 2024.

Meanwhile, the residents in the community alleged that since the beginning of the year, repeated attacks in the area have claimed more than 76 lives, including those of security personnel.

They said the Abande community and surrounding settlements which lie close to the Nigeria–Cameroon border has little visible presence of Nigerian security forces in the area.

Some of the residents accused both the Benue State and the federal governments of failing to provide adequate security.

They also alleged destruction of farms, economic trees and houses, as well as cases of sexual violation during attacks, a claim that could not be independently verified as of press time.

Contacted, the police spokesperson for Benue command, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed that five people were killed in the attack.

“On 3rd February, 2026, at about 17:30hr, the Divisional Police Officer, Jato-Aka, received a distress call that suspected armed herder bandits, in large numbers, had attacked police personnel stationed at Abande Community as well as members of the community.

“During the ensuing confrontation while police operatives were responding to the distress call, one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to 13 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Makurdi, who was on special duty at Abande Community, was fatally injured during the attack.

“Regrettably, five members of the community also lost their lives as a result of the attack by the bandits.

“Following the incident, combined teams of police operatives and other security agencies have been mobilised to the area to secure the community, conduct a thorough search, and forestall further breakdown of law and order. The deceased persons have been recovered and deposited at the mortuary,” she said.

The paramount traditional head of Kwande LGA, Ter Kwande, Chief Timothy Ayile, condemned the attack on his people, saying that the bodies of those killed including a policeman were recovered on Tuesday night.

Ayile told journalists in Makurdi by telephone that the terrorists came and attacked Abande community which is near their border with Cameroon, explaining that the police post in the area was mounted by only four personnel.

Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned what he described as terrorists’ attacks on the people of Abande, Turan in Kwande LGA.

He said the terrorists have dared the state and the Nigeria security system once more and must be attended to in the language they understand better.

The governor, in a statement by Tersoo Kula, his Chief Press Secretary, said “This cowardly act of terror, which claimed innocent lives, including a gallant police officer, and led to the destruction of homes, is an assault on our shared humanity and an affront to the peace and security of Benue State.

“I have already directed the relevant security agencies to intensify operations in the affected areas, go after the perpetrators with all energies at their disposal, and restore safety to our communities.”

Saraki, Kwara speaker, others demand action against banditry

Former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, called on President Tinubu to urgently intervene to halt the escalating wave of insurgency in Kwara State.

Saraki said the worsening insecurity in both the northern and southern senatorial districts of Kwara had reached a level that now requires direct presidential action, warning that the situation has gone beyond the capacity of the state government.

He urged the president to immediately direct security agencies to establish an inter-agency intervention team to flush out bandits operating within Kwara and neighbouring states.

Also, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, urged the security agencies in the country to brace up for more efforts to address the insurgency in some parts of the state in order to reduce incessant cases of killing of innocent residents.

Also, the senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha, called for more troops to the two affected communities to check activities of terrorists in the state.

In a statement he signed on Wednesday, Mustapha described the incident as a senseless act that underscores the urgent need for unity, vigilance, and stronger community cooperation in tackling insecurity.

He urged residents of the affected areas and the entire state to remain calm, support security agencies, and promptly report suspicious movements to help safeguard their communities.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state condemned the latest gruesome attack carried out by bandits on Woro and Nuku communities.

Its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, described the attack as a despicable, inhuman and callous act of wickedness that no human should ever inflict on fellow human beings.

“We, therefore, call on the Kwara State Government to immediately deploy humanitarian aid, relief materials and medical support to Woro community and other affected victims to help them navigate the trauma and destruction caused by this attack.

“We also call on security agencies, in the interest of justice and public safety, to intensify efforts to track down these criminal elements and ensure they are brought to book for the evil they have unleashed on innocent and defenseless people”.

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, click here to find out how it works.

Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.