Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Thursday, 5 February 2026 hosted an emergency security meeting as Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, arrived at the Presidential Villa to hold talks with Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The governor was seen entering the premises at about 5:00 in the evening. Okay News reports that the visit came amid rising concern after a major attack in Kwara State, a north-central state in Nigeria.
The meeting followed reports that suspected jihadist fighters killed no fewer than 100 people in communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State in the days leading up to the Abuja talks.
On Tuesday, 3 February 2026, gunmen believed to be linked to a Boko Haram faction attacked Worro and Nuku villages in Kaiama, residents said. Boko Haram is an Islamist militant group that emerged in north-eastern Nigeria and has been blamed for years of insurgency-related violence.
During the raid, the attackers were reported to have killed residents and set fire to houses, shops, and the palace of the traditional ruler.
The Emir of Worro, Saliu Umar, was reported missing after the assault. Two of his wives, several of his children, the Chief Imam, a school principal, and students were also among those killed.
Reports linked the violence to a retaliation after local residents allegedly refused pressure from the extremists to attend their sermons and accept a radical ideology.
The Emir had also reportedly raised concerns with military authorities earlier about the presence and activities of the suspected terrorists in the area.
In response, President Tinubu on Wednesday, 4 February 2026 directed the deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama and approved the creation of a new military command to lead Operation Savannah Shield, a security effort aimed at countering terrorist activity and protecting vulnerable communities in the region.
The President condemned the attack and urged closer coordination between federal and state agencies to support affected communities and ensure those responsible are identified and prosecuted.
Governor AbdulRazaq, who visited Kaiama on Wednesday night alongside Nigeria’s service chiefs and cabinet members, described the assault as “a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following ongoing counterterrorism campaigns” in parts of the state.
