Nigeria's Deadly Violence Continues: Over 160 Killed in Attacks on Two West Nigerian Villages
The deadliest armed attacks of the year have struck two villages in western Nigeria, leaving more than 160 people dead. In a series of brutal incidents, gunmen affiliated with Islamic State carried out the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday in Woro and Nuku in Kwara state.
Eyewitnesses described the attackers as jihadists who often preached in the village and demanded that locals abandon their allegiance to the Nigerian state and switch to sharia law. When villagers resisted, the militants opened fire, leaving many with gunshot wounds.
The attack has been condemned by local authorities, including Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who described it as a "cowardly expression of frustration" by terrorist cells. The governor had previously imposed curfews in certain areas and closed schools for several weeks before ordering them to reopen on Monday.
The violence is part of a broader security crisis affecting Nigeria, with the country grappling with a jihadist insurgency in the north-east and north-west, surging looting and kidnapping for ransom by armed groups, and intercommunal violence in central states.
The Nigerian military has intensified operations against jihadists and armed bandits, claiming notable successes. However, many locals believe that the authorities are not doing enough to combat the violence and are instead focused on politics.
In a separate attack on Tuesday, gunmen killed at least 13 people in Doma village in Katsina state in the north-west, despite a series of peace deals brokered between armed groups and villagers. The attacks have raised concerns about the effectiveness of these initiatives and the need for sustained efforts to address the root causes of violence.
The international community has also been drawn into the crisis, with US President Donald Trump alleging a "genocide" of Christians in Nigeria. However, this claim has been rejected by the Nigerian government and many independent experts, who say that the country's security crises affect both Christians and Muslims without distinction.
As the situation continues to unfold, thousands of supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress party have traveled to Katsina's state capital to participate in a rally endorsing its governor for next year's general elections. The rally has raised concerns about the politicization of insecurity and the need for urgent action to address the violence.
The deadliest armed attacks of the year have struck two villages in western Nigeria, leaving more than 160 people dead. In a series of brutal incidents, gunmen affiliated with Islamic State carried out the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday in Woro and Nuku in Kwara state.
Eyewitnesses described the attackers as jihadists who often preached in the village and demanded that locals abandon their allegiance to the Nigerian state and switch to sharia law. When villagers resisted, the militants opened fire, leaving many with gunshot wounds.
The attack has been condemned by local authorities, including Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who described it as a "cowardly expression of frustration" by terrorist cells. The governor had previously imposed curfews in certain areas and closed schools for several weeks before ordering them to reopen on Monday.
The violence is part of a broader security crisis affecting Nigeria, with the country grappling with a jihadist insurgency in the north-east and north-west, surging looting and kidnapping for ransom by armed groups, and intercommunal violence in central states.
The Nigerian military has intensified operations against jihadists and armed bandits, claiming notable successes. However, many locals believe that the authorities are not doing enough to combat the violence and are instead focused on politics.
In a separate attack on Tuesday, gunmen killed at least 13 people in Doma village in Katsina state in the north-west, despite a series of peace deals brokered between armed groups and villagers. The attacks have raised concerns about the effectiveness of these initiatives and the need for sustained efforts to address the root causes of violence.
The international community has also been drawn into the crisis, with US President Donald Trump alleging a "genocide" of Christians in Nigeria. However, this claim has been rejected by the Nigerian government and many independent experts, who say that the country's security crises affect both Christians and Muslims without distinction.
As the situation continues to unfold, thousands of supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress party have traveled to Katsina's state capital to participate in a rally endorsing its governor for next year's general elections. The rally has raised concerns about the politicization of insecurity and the need for urgent action to address the violence.