President Bola Tinubu has met with Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the State House, Abuja, following the deadly attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.
The meeting came amid deep concerns over the brutal overnight assault on Woro and Nuku communities, where scores of villagers were killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
Governor AbdulRazaq, who described the incident as a “pure massacre,” said at least 75 victims had been buried following the attack.
He made the disclosure during a condolence visit to the affected communities and the Palace of the Emir of Kaiama, Muazu Omar.
In response to the killings, President Tinubu ordered the immediate deployment of an Army battalion to Kaiama Local Government Area, alongside the appointment of a field commander and the commencement of a coordinated military operation to stabilise the area.
The newly established military command will lead Operation Savannah Shield, a special security mission aimed at countering terrorist activities, securing vulnerable communities, and preventing further incursions in the Kaiama axis.
The President further directed that the deployment should provide immediate relief to displaced residents and restore a sense of safety in the affected communities.
Condemning the attack, President Tinubu described the assailants as heartless for targeting defenceless civilians in what he called a doomed campaign of terror. He lamented the killing of community members who reportedly resisted forced indoctrination and chose to practise a form of Islam that rejects extremism and violence.
“It is commendable that the community members, even though Muslims, refused to be conscripted into a warped belief that elevates violence above peace and dialogue,” the President said.
The President also urged close collaboration between federal and state agencies to deliver humanitarian support to victims, rebuild damaged communities, and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
He offered prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased and extended condolences to bereaved families, as well as to the people and government of Kwara State.