ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that no fewer than 75 people were killed during coordinated attacks on communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, disclosed the figure on Friday while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
“The present toll of casualties from the attack that occurred on February 3 at about 5:30pm stands at 75. Investigations are ongoing, and the public will be updated as developments unfold,” she said.
According to Ejire-Adeyemi, the command received distress reports shortly after the attack, prompting the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, to order the immediate deployment of security operatives to the affected areas.
She explained that access to the communities posed logistical challenges, noting that the affected villages are located nearly two hours away from the divisional headquarters in Kaiama.
“Once the command was notified, the Commissioner of Police ordered immediate deployment. Police personnel, working alongside the military and the National Forest Guard, moved in as quickly as possible,” she said.
Responding to concerns that the attackers may have remained in the communities for some time before striking, the police spokesperson said investigations were still ongoing.
READ ALSO UN, US Condemn Kwara Killings As Turkiye Backs Nigeria
“We are investigating reports suggesting the perpetrators may have stayed in the town before launching the attack. It is a deeply unfortunate incident, and we are working tirelessly to ensure it does not recur,” she added.
Ejire-Adeyemi said recent clearance operations across Kwara and neighbouring Kogi State had disrupted the activities of armed groups, leading to relative calm in parts of the state before the attack.
“In the past month, clearance operations in Kwara and Kogi states had disorganised these criminal elements. Kwara South had enjoyed relative peace until this incident in Kwara North,” she said.
She also confirmed that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had ordered the reinforcement of security in the area.
“The IGP has directed that security be significantly strengthened. The area is currently calm, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend those responsible,” she said.
Asked whether there was a police presence in Woro village at the time of the attack, Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed that a police post existed in the community and was active.
“We had officers on ground. It may not have been a heavy deployment, but there was a police post in that community,” she said.
However, reacting to claims by residents that security operatives arrived several hours after the attack began, she admitted that officers on the ground may have been overwhelmed.
“At that point, they were likely overwhelmed. We work with local vigilantes and the National Forest Guard, but due to the distance from the divisional headquarters, reinforcement took time. However, reinforcements did arrive,” she said.
She acknowledged that a stronger security presence might have limited the scale of the attack.