Gunmen slaughter 162 folks in horror terror assault as military despatched in
Authorities have mobilised the army after a horrific massacre in western Nigeria. At least 162 people have been killed with the government blaming Islamist extremist group Boko Haram for the “beastly attack”
Authorities have mobilised the army in response to the horrific massacre (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The Red Cross said at least 162 people have been killed by gunmen in a horrific attack which authorities have dubbed as having “terrorist elements”.
The massacre has prompted authorities to deploy an army battalion to the troubled region as the government has blamed the Islamist extremist Boko Haram movement for what they called a “beastly attack”. Nigeria was hit by the horrific attack on the Woro village on Tuesday. The village is a small Muslim-majority village located in the Kwara state in the Western part of the country.
The massacre was mounted only days after the military launched operations in the area hitting suspected terrorist groups. During the attack gunmen stormed the community in the evening as they burned shops and houses near the traditional ruler’s palace.
Earlier estimates placed the dead from the horrific attack at 35-40 but countless more bodies have been discovered as many wounded victims fled into the bush during the horror. No singular extremist group have claimed responsibility for the massacre.
Despite this the government has blamed “terrorist cells” as Nigeria’s president Tinubu has blamed the attack on Boko Haram jihadists. Umar Bio Salihu, 53, and the chief of Woro have spoken of the horrific attack as he recalled the gunman “just came in and started shooting”.
The village chief said: “All those shops that are within the road, they burnt them … Some people have been burned inside their houses.”
The chief said: “They killed two of (my sons) standing at the front of my house. They took away my second wife with some three (daughters). They are with them presently in the bush.”
Salihu explained he survived the massacre by hiding in a house and then fled the village to the neighbouring town of Kaiama. Salihu recounted the horror of seeing bodies across the ground. The chief revealed: “When the day breaks, the corpses we see. It’s too much.”
Woro village sits in the Kwara state of Nigeria, the Kwara governor has condemned the massacre dubbing it “a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following the ongoing counterterrorism campaigns in parts of the state”.
UN security general António Guterres has expressed his heartfelt sympathies for the country following the attack. In a statement Guterres’ spokesperson said: “The Secretary-General reiterates the solidarity of the United Nations with the Government and people of Nigeria in their efforts to fight terrorism and violent extremism and stresses the importance of bringing the perpetrators to justice.”
