Survivor Testifies to Mass Burials After February 3 Woro Village Attack in Kwara State

Residents of Woro village in Nigeria’s north-central Kwara State buried dozens of victims following a devastating armed assault on February 3, 2026, with one survivor, Muhammed Abdulkarim, recounting in a News Central TV interview that community members interred 178 bodies over two days—including 12 of his own family members.

According to multiple international and Nigerian sources, hundreds of armed gunmen attacked Woro and neighboring Nuku villages in the Kaiama Local Government Area during the early hours of February 3, 2026.

• The European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) reported “over 170 people” killed.
• Wikipedia’s documented entry on the 2026 Kwara State attacks cites “at least 162 residents” fatalities.
• The United Nations Secretary-General issued a statement condemning the attack that “reportedly killed over 100 people.”
• Al Jazeera reported “nearly 200 people” killed across separate attacks in Kwara and Katsina states that week.

Security Context

Nigerian authorities and security analysts describe the perpetrators as non-state armed groups (NSAGs), with Crisis Group experts noting possible connections to Sahel-linked terror networks, including factions affiliated with JNIM/AQIM operating near Nigeria’s northwestern borders.

The attackers, estimated at approximately 200 in number, stormed the community, shooting indiscriminately before setting structures ablaze.

Following the massacre, Nigeria’s Northern Governors’ Forum condemned the violence across Kwara, Katsina, and Benue states on February 5, demanding decisive military action.

President Bola Tinubu subsequently ordered additional troop deployments to affected regions, describing the assault as a “beastly attack.”

Humanitarian Impact

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) activated emergency protocols for population displacement in Kwara State following the attack.

Survivors report ongoing trauma, mass displacement, and challenges accessing basic services as communities attempt recovery amid persistent security concerns in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.