- Bukola Saraki described the killing of over 100 people in Woro community, Kwara State, as a national disaster requiring urgent federal action
- He urged President Tinubu to deploy troops, establish permanent security bases, and coordinate all agencies to deter insurgents
- Saraki warned that Kwara’s strategic location makes it crucial to prevent armed groups from gaining ground and expressed sympathy for victims’ families
Former Senate President and ex-Governor of Kwara State, Dr Bukola Saraki, has described the killing of over 100 people in Woro community, Kaiama Local Government Area, as a national disaster, calling for immediate and decisive federal intervention to halt the escalating violence in the state.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, Saraki said the worsening insecurity in parts of Kwara State—particularly in the northern and southern senatorial districts—has gone beyond the capacity of the state government and now requires direct action from the Federal Government.
“Yesterday’s killing of over 100 people in Woro community, Kaiama Local Government Area, is a national disaster,” Saraki said. “What we are witnessing in parts of Kwara State has gone beyond the capacity of the state government and now requires decisive, direct federal intervention.”
The former governor urged President Bola Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to immediately direct the General Officer Commanding of the Second Mechanised Infantry Division in Ibadan to deploy troops fully into the troubled districts of Kwara State and establish permanent security bases in the affected areas.
According to Saraki, a strong and coordinated presence of all security agencies across the state is necessary to deter armed groups, warning that insurgents fleeing military pressure in other parts of the North-Central zone must not be allowed to find refuge in Kwara.
“Kwara State is too strategic to this country for insurgency to gain ground there,” he said, noting that the state serves as a bridge between northern and south-western Nigeria, shares borders with several states, and has an international boundary with the Republic of Benin.
Saraki expressed deep sympathy with the people of Woro community, particularly families who lost loved ones in the attack. He prayed for comfort for the bereaved and healing for those injured.
However, he cautioned that the response to the tragedy must go beyond statements of condemnation. “We should not limit our reaction to this sad development to mere press comments,” he said, stressing that both the Federal Government and state and local authorities must work collaboratively to ensure such violence does not recur.
The former Senate President lamented the transformation of Kwara from a historically peaceful state into one plagued by killings, arson and displacement. “Kwara State has always been a peaceful place, earning it the sobriquet ‘State of Harmony’. Unfortunately, things have gone this badly. The level of violence we are witnessing is unprecedented,” he said.
Saraki described the Woro attack as a national emergency, warning that the assailants had effectively “waged war against Nigeria”. He concluded by calling for swift and decisive measures, saying the country must win the fight against non-state actors without delay.