NIGERIA: President Tinubu Orders Army Deployment To Kaiama, Launches Operation Savannah Shield After Deadly Terrorist Attack In Kwara

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State following a brutal overnight terrorist attack that killed scores of villagers in Worro community.

In a statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, the President condemned the attack in strong terms, attributing it to Boko Haram terrorists who targeted hapless villagers.

The assault, which occurred late Tuesday in Worro (also referred to as Woro) and nearby Nuku communities, has been described as one of the deadliest in recent months outside Nigeria’s traditional northeast conflict zone. Reports from various sources indicate a death toll ranging from over 75 to as high as 162 or more, with victims including local Muslims who reportedly resisted attempts at forced indoctrination into an extremist ideology. Gunmen reportedly surrounded the communities, opened indiscriminate fire, bound residents, set homes and shops ablaze, and abducted some individuals.

President Tinubu directed that the newly deployed military command spearhead Operation Savannah Shield, a targeted operation aimed at checkmating the barbaric terrorists, restoring security, and protecting defenceless communities in the area.

He condemned the attack as “cowardly and beastly,” describing the gunmen as “heartless for choosing soft targets in their doomed campaign of terror.” The President expressed particular rage over the killings, stating, “It’s commendable that the community members, even though Muslims, refused to be conscripted into a weird belief that promoted violence over peace and dialogue.”

President Tinubu urged close collaboration between federal and state agencies to provide immediate succour to affected community members and ensure that the perpetrators of the atrocities face justice without delay.

The President prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and extended condolences to the bereaved families, the people of Kwara State, and the state government.

The deployment comes amid an escalating security challenge in parts of Nigeria, where extremist groups linked to Boko Haram and other Islamist militants have expanded their activities beyond traditional strongholds in the northeast into north-central and western regions. Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had earlier blamed “terrorist cells” for the massacre, noting that the victims were targeted for rejecting a “strange doctrine.”

Local accounts describe the attackers arriving on motorcycles, surrounding the villages around 5:00 p.m., and launching coordinated assaults that prevented escape. Some reports suggest the violence may be a retaliatory response to recent counterterrorism operations in the region.

The federal government’s swift response, including the establishment of a dedicated military command under Operation Savannah Shield, signals an intensified effort to curb the spread of such attacks and safeguard vulnerable rural populations.

Authorities have called for calm while security forces work to stabilize the area and pursue the assailants. Further updates on casualties, rescue efforts, and the operation’s progress are expected from both fed

eral and state sources.