Gunmen Kill Nearly 200 People in Kwara and Katsina, Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria — February 4, 2026
Nearly 200 people have been killed in coordinated attacks by gunmen in Nigeria’s Kwara and Katsina states, officials and residents report. The attacks, which targeted villages in western and northern Nigeria, have sparked national outrage and intensified calls for stronger security measures.
In Kwara State, at least 170 people were killed when gunmen stormed the community of Woro on Tuesday evening. The attackers reportedly moved from house to house, targeting villagers who had refused to comply with extremist ideologies. In Katsina State, 21 people were killed in a separate attack carried out in a similar pattern.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deployed an army battalion to Kwara under Operation Savannah Shield, aiming to “checkmate the barbaric terrorists and protect defenseless communities.” In a statement, Tinubu condemned the attacks as “cowardly and barbaric,” noting that community members, even Muslims, resisted forced indoctrination by the assailants.
Although no group has officially claimed responsibility, residents and authorities have linked the attacks to Boko Haram factions operating in the region. State governments and locals describe the assailants as “religious hardliners” who had long sought to impose extremist rule in these areas.
Eyewitnesses in Kwara described horrifying scenes of violence, including residents with their hands bound being executed and homes set ablaze. Footage from Woro shows bodies on the ground and burning structures, underscoring the scale of the attack.
Katsina residents recounted similar brutality. One resident, Rumatu Muhammed, lost her son during the attack, saying: “He begged for his life, but they refused. No man was spared.”
The attacks come amid ongoing military operations against armed groups in Nigeria. Authorities have launched search-and-rescue missions, but security analysts warn that more comprehensive law enforcement measures are needed to prevent recurring attacks.
Amnesty International called the violence “unacceptable” and highlighted systemic security gaps that have allowed armed groups to terrorize communities across Nigeria’s north and north-central regions.