Terrorists Sent Letter to ‘Preach’ Before Attacking Kwara Communities — Residents

Residents of Nuru and Woro communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have revealed that suspected terrorists sent a letter informing them of their intention to “preach” before launching a deadly attack.

At least 75 people were killed on Wednesday when the gunmen stormed the communities, setting several houses on fire and forcing many residents to flee.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the attack as the work of Islamic fundamentalists, while President Bola Tinubu later ordered the deployment of an army battalion to the affected area.

According to a BBC report, the attackers wrote to Umar Bio Salihu, the traditional ruler, outlining their plan and promoting what was described as an extremist interpretation of Islam.

Salihu, who was away during the attack, said the terrorists first went to his home, abducted his wife and children, and later burned the house. He said he returned to find the building destroyed and two of his children killed.

The traditional ruler added that the attackers demanded residents renounce the Nigerian government and follow their teachings, describing the ideology as contrary to Islamic teachings.

A resident of Woro, Abdulla Umar Usman, said the terrorists arrived in large numbers and carried out killings indiscriminately.

He added that two children of a community head — both medical students — were killed in front of their home before the attackers set the house on fire.

Amnesty International also said the terrorists had been distributing leaflets in the communities for the past five months.

Saidu Baba Ahmed, a Kwara lawmaker, told the BBC that the traditional ruler had earlier alerted security operatives about the letter. Soldiers reportedly visited the communities briefly to investigate, but the attackers struck shortly after they left.