President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State following a deadly overnight attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on the community of Worro, where several villagers were killed.
The President said the new military formation would spearhead Operation Savannah Shield, a security operation aimed at flushing out the attackers, preventing further violence and protecting vulnerable rural communities in the area.
Condemning the assault in strong terms, Tinubu described the attackers as “cowardly and heartless,” accusing them of deliberately targeting defenceless civilians in what he called a failed campaign of terror. According to the President, the gunmen struck after residents rejected attempts to indoctrinate them into extremist ideology.
“It is commendable that the community members, even though Muslims, refused to be conscripted into a weird belief that promoted violence over peace and dialogue,” Tinubu said, while expressing anger over the killing of villagers who chose to practise a form of Islam that rejects extremism and bloodshed.
The President stressed that the attack underscored the urgent need for decisive and coordinated action against terrorism, directing federal and state security agencies to work closely in restoring calm and ensuring justice for the victims.
He also called for immediate humanitarian support for the affected families, urging relevant authorities to provide relief and assistance to those displaced or bereaved by the violence. “Those who carried out these atrocities must not be allowed to go scot-free,” Tinubu said.
While mourning the victims, the President prayed for the repose of their souls and extended his condolences to grieving families. He also sympathised with the people and government of Kwara State, assuring them of the Federal Government’s full commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
Security sources said troops were already being positioned in and around Kaiama as part of the new operation, amid heightened surveillance and intelligence gathering to prevent further attacks in the area.
