The violence was reported to have begun around 6pm on Tuesday, according to the Kwara State Police Command.
Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has attributed the deadly attack on Nuku and Woro communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, which left at least 75 people dead and several houses destroyed, to Islamic extremists who allegedly targeted residents for rejecting radical teachings.
The violence was reported to have begun around 6pm on Tuesday, according to the Kwara State Police Command.
The command’s spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed that the assault occurred in the evening, leading to heavy casualties and destruction in the affected communities.
Rauf Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, told TheCable that the victims were largely moderate Muslims who were attacked after declining to accept what he described as an unfamiliar and extreme interpretation of Islam.
Addressing religious and security stakeholders at the Government House, Ilorin, Abdulrazaq said early reports indicated that the communities were singled out because residents resisted pressure to change their religious practices.
He explained that the villagers chose to continue their established form of worship within the emirate structure and refused to adopt the teachings promoted by the attackers.
The governor noted that the incident differed from previous criminal attacks driven by ransom demands, stressing that the killings appeared to be a targeted mass assault and should be strongly condemned.
In response, President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama Local Government Area to reinforce security and prevent further attacks.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said in a statement on Wednesday night that the troops would lead “Operation Savannah Shield,” an initiative designed to confront the assailants and protect vulnerable settlements.
Onanuga added that the president condemned the incident, describing it as a brutal attack on innocent civilians and criticising the gunmen for targeting defenceless communities.
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