Summary
In western Nigeria, armed extremists affiliated with the Islamic State group carried out attacks on two villages, Woro and Nuku, in Kwara state. The attacks took place on Tuesday evening, resulting in at least 162 deaths according to lawmaker Mohammed Omar Bio of the area, though a rights group estimated this figure could be higher. The Lakurawa group was identified as responsible for these assaults. Ayodeji Emmanuel Babaomo from the Red Cross stated that the community has not been reached due to their remote location, which is approximately eight hours from the state capital and near Nigeria’s border with Benin. Footage shows victims lying in blood with hands tied alongside burning houses. Amnesty International reported 170 deaths and looting of shops. State governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the attack as a “cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells” responding to ongoing military operations against armed extremists. Nigeria is experiencing a complex security crisis, including an insurgency by Islamic militants in the northeast alongside recent kidnappings for ransom in the northwest and north-central regions. Separately, unknown gunmen killed at least 13 people in Katsina state. The Nigerian military has identified the Lakurawa as linked to Boko Haram extremists from neighboring Niger, which became more active in Nigeria’s border communities after a 2023 coup. James Barnett of the Hudson Institute suggested that JAS, a Boko Haram faction responsible for other recent massacres, was likely behind the Kwara state attack. The United States has dispatched military officers to respond to the security crisis and launched airstrikes on IS-affiliated militants in Nigeria.
Key Topics
Islamic State group, Nigeria, Boko Haram
