The Nigerian government has deployed an army battalion to Kaiama district in central Kwara State following a deadly overnight attack by suspected jihadist fighters that left at least 170 people dead.
President Bola Tinubu ordered the deployment on Thursday in response to Tuesday’s assault on Woro village, the deadliest attack recorded in the state this year.
Kwara, which borders Niger, has increasingly become a hotspot for violent activity linked to Islamic State West Africa Province and other armed groups, marked by escalating village raids and mass kidnappings.
Authorities say the new military presence is aimed at preventing further attacks and protecting remote communities that have come under sustained threat.
The government maintains it is working closely with international partners, including the United States, to improve security while rejecting claims of systematic persecution of Christians.
Local residents reported that the attackers had previously tried to impose extremist ideology on the village before opening fire, destroying at least 38 houses.
In a related incident the same day, gunmen also killed at least 21 people in northern Katsina State, moving from house to house to carry out the attack, underscoring the widening security challenge facing northern and central Nigeria.
