Everyday Nigeria itches closer to a failed state, as a result of rising violence over contest of its territories by non-state actors, who are mainly terrorists, bandits, and Boko Haram and their various franchises, ISWAP, Mahmuda, Lakurawa.
and Islamic State West Africa Province. These non-state actors have occupied large swathe of ungoverned territories and have now rigged the forests of governed territories killing and kidnapped hapless Nigerians as political actors look away, focusing on 2027 elections.
It began shortly after the “Christmas gift” on December 25, by President Donald Trump of U.S strike in Sokoto to rout the terrorists’ infrastructure used to attack the North West and other places.
Sadly, in all these attacks and huge casualties, the Presidency has been uncomfortably silent and only spoke several days later with order to security agencies to deploy to affected areas.
Meanwhile, batches of abducted worshippers and school children were released last week without indications of what transpired after over two weeks sojourn in the bush with the bandits.
Before the dust properly settled in the New Year, over 270 worshippers in January Kaduna State, were abducted in three church and marched off into the bush with the police commissioner denying that such ever happened after a day before later confirming it.
This came before a church attack in Kwara State, which was fortuitously recorded in real time on the phone with over 157 worshippers.
Then, another attack in Kaduna of school children with over 187 taken away.
Last week Tuesday heart- wrenching incident for Nigerians took place as more than 130 persons were killed in attacks by gunmen at communities in Kwara, Katsina and Benue states within 48 hours.
In Kwara, official figure was 70, but residents of the affected community 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 few hours after carnage.
Abandoned to Fate
Some of the grieving residents, who expressed their grief to journalists said as at last week Thursday, they had continued to discover more bodies; while the search for missing persons was still ongoing weekend.
It was learnt that the attack had led to mass exodus of the community, while several state governments have closed down schools, markets and Church services.
The attackers, who were said to have brazenly operated for several hours, razed down houses, shops and vehicles in fits of rage over the community’s alleged rejection of indoctrination into their strange, quirk interpretation of the Koran and ideology of jihad.
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.
The head of the community, Alhaji Salihu Bio Umar, who bared his mind to Arise TV and some journalists , 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 him 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 lent credence to the village’s head casualties figures when he spoke to journalists Wednesday.
Though the governor of Kwara state, Abdulrazaq visited the community with heads of various security outfits, it was not enough to calm frayed nerves and grieving souls.
“Since the recent arrest of Mahmuda leaders and their boys, they have become very violent. The soldiers that were initially stationed there after they had written to the community of the intention, were withdrawn after a deadly ambush. I learnt the bandits operated from 5.pm to around 4.am unchallenged,” the Emir noted.
According to residents, heavily armed gunmen, arrived in large numbers on motorcycles on that day, first converged on a secondary school in the community before launching a coordinated assault.
“They came around 5.pm on Tuesday, most of them wearing Army uniforms, and started shooting,” a survivor, Dr Abdul Woro stated.
Another resident, Abubakar Muhammed, said the attack was 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.
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.
The chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area, 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.
Reprisal from Military Assault
Abdullahi said the attackers rode into the community in twos and threes on motorcycles, carrying AK-47 rifles with live ammunition.
“They also killed two chief imams who rejected their ideology,” he said.
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.
Reports have it that the attack came 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.
Penultimate 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 neutralization 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.
On the heels of the relative gains recorded by security forces, the Kwara State Government on penultimate Sunday approved the reopening of schools across the state from February 2, 2026, citing improved security conditions and sustained vigilance by security agencies.
20 killed in Katsina
As if the attacks were synchronized, bandits last week Tuesday killed at least 20 people in an assault on Doma A and Doma B communities, Tafoki ward, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to the residents, the bloodshed was a fallout of the collapse of a community-driven peace arrangement that had offered a brief respite from years of banditry.
It was gathered that 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.
The incident was allegedly 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,” a resident, who preferred not to be named told journalists.
Malam Bala, a resident of Doma, who lost his child in the attack, struggled to contain his emotions as he spoke to journalists.
“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.
“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.
The Senate last week yesterday condemned the worsening security situation in Katsina State, particularly in the Funtua area, enjoining 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.
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.
The attack, it was learnt, 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 Camerounians also trade alongside indigenes was set ablaze.
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.
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.
Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned what he described as terrorists’ attacks on the people of Abande, Turan in Kwande LGA.
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.
Former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, last week urged 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.
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.
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring Kogi State, the government has reportedly ordered the temporary closure of selected markets and motor parks across parts of the Kogi West Senatorial District to support intensified security operations aimed at dismantling terrorist cells, bandit networks, and other criminal groups in the area.
In the past couple of weeks, security situation had deteriorated in many parts of the state, especially Kogi West.
According to the governor’s directive, in Lokoja Local Government Area, markets and motor parks in Oshokoshoko, Jakura, Ogbagbon, Agbaja, Atsawa, Obajana, Apata, Abugi, Amomi, Ebee, and Budon have been closed for the duration of the exercise.