The United States has condemned the deadly attack on communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, as conflicting casualty figures emerged from the incident that has sparked national and international outrage.
While the Nigerian Police Force said 75 persons were confirmed killed in the assault on Woro and Nuku communities, local sources and international observers put the death toll significantly higher.
In a statement on X on Friday, the US Mission in Nigeria described the attack as “horrific,” saying more than 160 people were feared dead, with many still unaccounted for.
“The United States condemns the horrific attack in Kwara state in Nigeria, which claimed the lives of more than 160 people, with the death toll still unconfirmed and many still unaccounted for.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of those affected by this senseless violence,” the statement read.
It welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to deploy security forces to protect affected communities.
“We welcome President Tinubu’s order to deploy security forces to protect villages in the area and his directive to federal and state officials to provide aid to the community and bring the perpetrators of this atrocity to justice,” the statement added.
In a separate statement, they said the attack, which left about 75 people dead and several others wounded, was “heinous”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in an X post, said, “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.”
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Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police has ordered the immediate deployment of tactical, operational, and intelligence assets to Kaiama Local Government Area following the attack.
The Nigerian Police Force condemned the incident, describing it as tragic, and confirmed that a manhunt is underway to arrest those responsible.
The Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, described the incident as a “pure massacre” and confirmed that at least 75 victims had already been buried.
President Bola Tinubu has also ordered the deployment of an army battalion to reinforce security in the state under Operation Savannah Shield.
Political groups, including a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Northern States Governors’ Forum, have condemned the killings, describing them as barbaric and indicative of worsening insecurity in the region.