Grief enveloped Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on Wednesday as residents conducted funeral rites for victims of a deadly bandit attack that occurred on Tuesday evening.
Among those killed were two children of the village head, one of whom had reportedly graduated from a School of Nursing in 2025. Sources said the assailants, after killing the victims, abducted the village head’s wife and remaining children, marching them into the bush. The bandits were also said to have demanded keys to the traditional ruler’s vehicles, vandalised some of them and used one to escape with their captives.
A mass janazah (Islamic funeral prayer) was held for the deceased at about 6:30 p.m., shortly before the Magrib prayer.
Confirming the development, the lawmaker representing Gwanabe/Gwaria constituency, Hon. Saidu Baba Ahmed, said 78 bodies—75 males and three females—had so far been recovered and buried.
“The janazah was performed around 6:30 p.m., after which the corpses were buried in batches of 10, 15 and 20,” he said.
Ahmed disclosed that about 35 residents, mostly women, were abducted during the attack, adding that survivors had fled into the bush for safety. He noted that while 78 bodies had been recovered, the death toll was estimated at about 170, with search efforts still ongoing.
The attackers also reportedly set houses and shops ablaze before fleeing the area.
Armed bandits had launched coordinated attacks on Woro and neighbouring Nuku communities around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, leaving scores dead and widespread destruction in their wake.
