President Bola Tinubu on Thursday held an emergency security meeting with the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as national and international outrage mounted over the massacre of residents in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.
The meeting came as the United Nations and Türkiye condemned the killings, northern senators demanded a sweeping security overhaul, and the Inspector-General of Police ordered the deployment of tactical teams to the affected communities.
The deadly attack, which claimed at least 75 lives, according to government figures, has triggered renewed calls for mass recruitment of security personnel, expansion of armouries and intelligence capacity, and stronger federal intervention, with lawmakers warning that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity—particularly in rural communities—now poses a grave threat to national stability.
Also, the Northern Senators Forum called on the Federal Government to urgently recruit more security personnel and strengthen operational capacity to curb the rising wave of violent attacks across several states.
The appeal followed the deadly assaults in Kwara, Katsina and Benue states, which lawmakers said had left more than 130 people dead.
Chairman of the Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, made the call in a condolence message issued in Abuja on Thursday, commiserating with the affected states and communities.
At least 100 people were feared killed during an attack on Tuesday night on the Woro and Nuku communities in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State by Islamic militants.
“We acknowledge the efforts of security agencies and urge citizens to cooperate with them by reporting suspicious activities,” Yar’Adua said. “However, we call on the Federal Government to urgently increase the recruitment of security personnel and enhance their capacity to combat these growing threats.”
He added: “We express our deepest condolences to the governments and people of Kwara, Katsina and Benue states on the recent brutal attacks that have claimed over 130 lives. These senseless acts of violence are a stark reminder of the insecurity plaguing our nation.”
According to him, the Forum remains committed to supporting measures that address the root causes of insecurity and promote national stability.
The lawmakers’ intervention adds to growing concerns within the National Assembly over worsening insecurity, particularly in rural communities repeatedly targeted by bandits and extremist groups.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday, ordered the immediate deployment of tactical, operational and intelligence assets to Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, the police confirmed that 75 persons were killed in the attack.
“The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns the violent attack that occurred on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, which sadly resulted in the confirmed death of seventy-five persons,” Hundeyin said.
“The Inspector-General of Police extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Government and people of Kwara State, over this deeply painful and tragic incident.”
He assured Nigerians that the police remained resolute in protecting lives and property.
“In response, the Inspector-General of Police has ordered the immediate deployment of tactical, operational and intelligence assets to Kaiama and surrounding communities to restore calm, strengthen security presence and prevent further acts of violence,” he said.
Hundeyin disclosed that an intensive manhunt had been launched for the perpetrators and their collaborators.
“All available resources have been mobilised to ensure that those responsible are identified, apprehended and brought to justice. The perpetrators will not escape the long arm of the law,” he added.
Residents were urged to remain calm and provide credible information through police stations and established communication channels.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq stated that the deployment of troops under Operation Savannah Shield would deter further attacks and restore peace in Kaiama and its surrounding areas.
The governor spoke to journalists in Abuja on Thursday after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House.
“I’m confident because the force commander of Operation Savannah Shield has reported in Kwara and is hitting the ground running,” AbdulRazaq said. “We rely on the military to do what they do best.”
He said he briefed the President on the gory attack that left at least 75 people dead, with several others still missing.
“I came to brief Mr President about what happened in Kaiama Local Government Area and to thank him for the prompt action taken. The establishment of Operation Savannah Shield will go a long way in bringing calm to the region,” he said.
According to the governor, President Tinubu had directed the Armed Forces to move in decisively to flush out the attackers and secure the area.
President Tinubu, on Wednesday, ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama and approved the creation of a new military command to lead the operation. He condemned the attack as cowardly and inhumane, expressing anger that victims were targeted for rejecting extremist ideology in favour of peaceful Islamic practice.
He called for closer collaboration between federal and state agencies to support affected communities and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
In a related development, the governor directed the state emergency management agency to mobilise support for victims of the Tuesday night terrorist attacks.
He gave the directive around 2 a.m. on Thursday, during his visit to the community where he commiserated with the victims, the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Omar, and the people of Kaiama Emirate over the attack.
Ahead of the visit to Woro, the governor first arrived in Kaiama on Wednesday night, accompanied by the House of Assembly Speaker, Salihu Yakubu-Danladi, security commanders, and senior government officials. The Head of Woro, Alhaji Saliu Umar, and his chiefs also joined the Emir to receive the governor.
‘’At least 75 people of the Muslim majority village lost their lives and properties to the unfortunate incident that occurred on Tuesday,’’ the governor told reporters shortly after receiving briefings from security forces and community leaders.
AbdulRazaq commended Tinubu for approving an immediate deployment of a battalion of soldiers under ‘Operation Savannah Shield’.
“At the moment, the state emergency services will be going to carry out the enumeration and look for how to take care of the members of the family,” the governor said.
“This is a major challenge to tackle now, because it goes beyond Kwara and to the Kainji Park in Niger State. They have murdered sleep, and I can assure you that within the next month, the whole place will be flooded with soldiers. And the results will be positive, God willing.”
Alhaji Muazu, for his part, explained that the attackers were followers of Mahmuda, who preached a strange ideology and attacked their victims who rejected their doctrine.
Outrage grows
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, condemned the killings in Kwara and Benue States.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, the speaker expressed deep concern over the continued loss of lives across the country, noting that innocent citizens keep dying in questionable circumstances. He urged security agencies to rise up to their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.
Lamenting the deaths and destruction caused by insecurity nationwide, the speaker called for drastic and concerted efforts by all stakeholders to stem the tide of violence and restore public confidence in the state’s ability to guarantee safety.
Abbas described the socio-economic impact of insecurity as immeasurable, stressing that “both the government and the governed must collaborate to face the nation’s common enemies.”
He assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would continue to work with President Bola Tinubu to ensure the provision of the resources required by security agencies to confront insecurity head-on.
The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Yahaya, strongly condemned the recent spate of violent attacks and killings, describing them as barbaric, senseless and a direct assault on the collective conscience of the nation.
In a statement on behalf of the Northern Governors, made available by Director-General Press Affairs Gombe Government House, Ismaila Misilli, Yahaya expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of innocent lives, extending his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the affected communities and the governments and people of the three states.
“These heinous acts of violence are unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms.
“The relentless targeting of defenceless citizens, including women, children and the elderly, lays bare the inhumanity of these attackers and underscores the pressing necessity for firm and decisive action,” he said.
Yahaya commended the governors of Kwara, Katsina and Benue States for their leadership and resilience in the face of repeated security challenges, noting their continued efforts to support affected communities, strengthen local security architecture and collaborate with federal authorities to restore peace.
He charged the nation’s security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering, surveillance and coordinated operations to track down the perpetrators and their backers, stressing that the protection of lives and property remains a sacred duty.
“The Northern Governors’ Forum stands firmly with our security agencies and urges them to deploy all lawful means necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice. These crimes must not go unpunished,” Governor Yahaya stated.
The NSGF Chairman reassured Nigerians of the Forum’s commitment to working with the Federal Government, security agencies, traditional institutions and community leaders to confront insecurity through a combination of robust security responses, intelligence-led policing and long-term socio-economic interventions.
The Peoples Democratic Party blamed the Federal Government for what it described as ignored early warnings, calling the military deployment “reactive.”
“The most painful part of this tragedy is that notice of the impending attack was available for months without meaningful proactive action,” the party said, demanding an independent investigation and a national security summit.
The opposition party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, criticised the Presidency for focusing more on politics than on fulfilling its core responsibility of safeguarding lives and property.
“The most painful part of this sad story is the fact that several community leaders have stated that the notice of this impending attack was available for months, without any meaningful proactive action from the Government, which makes the post-carnage military deployment weak, reactive, and irresponsible.
“The Presidential deployment of the military cannot bring back the killed people or erase the concomitant trauma imposed upon the community.’’
Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, described the killings as a national disaster and urged President Tinubu to personally intervene.
“What we require now is decisive and direct intervention from the President,” Saraki said. “Kwara is too strategic to allow insurgency to gain ground.”
Similarly, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan described the attacks as “deeply troubling,” warning that unchecked insecurity threatened national cohesion.
While lamenting the continued bloodshed, the Senator representing Kogi Central denounced the Kwara killings, describing the attacks as “unacceptable and deeply troubling,” and warned that the rising wave of violence poses a grave threat to national peace and stability.
She said, “The persistent killings of innocent Nigerians are unacceptable and deeply troubling. My heart goes out to the families who have been plunged into grief by these senseless acts. Protecting lives and ensuring justice must be non-negotiable. The safety of our citizens should always be the highest priority of government.”
The lawmaker further called on federal and state authorities to move beyond rhetoric and deploy coordinated and effective measures to address the worsening security situation across the country.
UN, Türkiye react
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the killings.
Guterres stated on his X handle, “I strongly condemn the terrorist attack of 3 February, in Kwara State, Nigeria.
My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims & to the people & Government of Nigeria. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured.
“I strongly condemn the terrorist attack of 3 February in Kwara State, Nigeria.
“My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims & to the people & Government of Nigeria. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”
Also, the Republic of Türkiye strongly condemned the attack, describing it as heinous.
In a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Türkiye said it was “deeply saddened by the loss of lives caused by the terrorist attack that took place in Nigeria’s Kwara State.”
“We strongly condemn this attack and extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to the people of Nigeria,” the statement said. “Türkiye will continue to support Nigeria in its fight against terrorism.”
The spate of attacks has renewed nationwide calls for a stronger security presence, improved intelligence gathering, and sustained federal intervention to address Nigeria’s deepening insecurity crisis.
Kidnapped Kwara freed
The Oniwo of Afin, Oba Simeon Olanipekun, abducted by gunmen in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, has regained his freedom after his family reportedly paid an additional N12 million ransom to his captors.
The monarch was released on Wednesday night after spending about one month in captivity, two weeks after his son, Olaolu, who was kidnapped alongside him, was freed following the payment of an initial N20 million ransom.
A family source, who spoke with The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development, saying intense negotiations led to the monarch’s release.
“It is true the monarch was released on Wednesday night after we paid N12 million and two power banks in addition to the earlier N20 million paid before.
“They dropped him at a local herders’ settlement around Oreke in Ifelodun Local Government Area. From there, he was taken to the military base in Oreke, where they contacted us,” the source disclosed.
According to the source, the traditional ruler is currently receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital after suffering physical and psychological trauma during his captivity.
“He is in high spirits now. The family and the entire Afin community are grateful to everyone who ensured his safe release,” the source added.
The state police command spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the release of the monarch but denied knowledge of ransom payment.
“The command is aware that the release of the monarch was secured last night, and he has been reunited with his family. You are aware that there are ongoing joint security operations on that axis, and the bandits are fleeing. We are not aware of any ransom payment.’’
