Saraki Calls for Federal Military Intervention After Killing of Over 100 in Kwara Community

Former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described the killing of more than 100 people in the Woro community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, as a national disaster, calling for urgent and decisive federal intervention to halt the escalating violence in the state.

On Tuesday, suspected fighters of Boko Haram’s Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction attacked Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area (LGA) of Kwara State, setting several homes and food storage facilities ablaze in the community, which borders Kale via Borgu LGA, Niger State. An unofficial number of victims passes 100.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Saraki said the security situation in parts of Kwara State, particularly in the northern and southern senatorial districts, has overwhelmed the capacity of the state government and now requires direct action from the Federal Government.

He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to immediately order the deployment of troops from the Second Mechanised Infantry Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan to the affected areas.

According to him, a permanent military base should be established in the troubled districts to stem the tide of killings and destruction of property.
Saraki also called for enhanced collaboration among security agencies and a strong, coordinated security presence across the state to deter armed groups. He warned that insurgents fleeing intensified military operations in other parts of the North Central region should not be allowed to turn Kwara State into a safe haven.

Describing Kwara as a strategically important state, Saraki noted that its central location, role as a link between the North and the South-West, and its international border with the Republic of Benin make it critical to national security.
He expressed sympathy to the people of the Woro community, particularly families who lost loved ones in the attack, and prayed for comfort for the bereaved and a quick recovery for those injured.

The former Senate President cautioned against limiting responses to the incident to mere statements, stressing the need for concrete action to prevent a recurrence. He said while the Federal Government must take the lead in restoring security, the state government and local councils also have a responsibility to play their part.

Saraki lamented that Kwara, once known as the “State of Harmony,” has witnessed unprecedented levels of killings, arson, and displacement of residents. He described the attack on Woro as a national emergency, insisting that the violence amounts to a war against Nigeria that must be decisively confronted.

He called for immediate and firm measures to end what he described as orchestrated violence against the people, expressing confidence that Nigeria would overcome the threat posed by non-state actors.