Kwara attack: Persistent killings of innocent Nigerians unacceptable, troubling
the newest flashpoint in Nigeria’s growing security debate after Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, condemned the deadly violence in Kwara State and warned that unchecked bloodshed threatens national peace and stability.
In a condolence message issued in Abuja on Thursday, February 5, 2026, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the killings as “unacceptable and deeply troubling,” urging federal and state authorities to move beyond public statements and deploy coordinated, effective measures to stop the violence.
The senator’s reaction followed a brutal overnight attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. Punch reported that more than 100 people were initially feared dead after gunmen invaded the communities Tuesday night, while Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq later confirmed 75 deaths.
However, international reporting has placed the casualty figure far higher. The Associated Press quoted a lawmaker saying at least 162 people were killed in the attacks, while Amnesty International’s Nigeria office said more than 170 may have died, describing the incident as a major security failure.
That gap in figures is not a minor detail. It speaks to the confusion that often follows mass violence in remote communities: limited access, delayed rescue response, and the slow movement of verified information. Yet the core point remains unchanged. Lives were lost on a large scale, homes were reportedly burned, and communities were thrown into grief,Kwara attack: Persistent killings of innocent Nigerians unacceptable, troubling.
Kwara attack: Persistent killings of innocent Nigerians unacceptable, troubling – Natasha is also drawing attention because Kwara is not typically treated as one of Nigeria’s traditional extremist conflict hotspots, compared to the North-East. But the AP reports indicate the attack is part of a wider concern about militant expansion into new areas, pushing federal authorities toward a fresh response.
According to AP, the Nigerian government announced a new military command and operation aimed at slowing the spread of Islamic militants after the Kwara killings. The presidency described the attackers as extremists and said the victims were targeted for rejecting indoctrination and choosing a more moderate practice of Islam.
Still, there is a crucial caveat: no group has claimed responsibility for the Kwara attack, and locals and officials have pointed to multiple possible actors, including Boko Haram factions and the Islamic State-linked Lakurawa group.
It is in this climate of grief, uncertainty, and competing narratives that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s message landed.
She said the persistent killings of innocent Nigerians must not be normalised, adding that protecting lives and ensuring justice should be “non-negotiable,” and that the safety of citizens must remain the highest priority of government.
Kwara attack: Persistent killings of innocent Nigerians unacceptable, troubling – Natasha also carried a pointed demand: transparent investigations. The senator insisted those responsible must be identified and prosecuted quickly, warning that impunity emboldens criminal actors and deepens public despair.
Her statement, while political in delivery, aligns with the public mood in communities repeatedly struck by attacks: anger at delayed response, fear of repeated raids, and frustration that arrests and convictions often lag behind tragedies,Kwara attack: Persistent killings of innocent Nigerians unacceptable, troubling.
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Punch’s report further noted that Akpoti-Uduaghan urged intelligence-driven policing and stronger community engagement, describing Nigeria’s security architecture as needing to become more people-centred and more effective.
Kwara attack: Persistent killings of innocent Nigerians unacceptable, troubling – Natasha gained further relevance as the Punch report linked the Kwara violence to another deadly incident in Benue State, where bandits attacked Abande community in Mbaikyor Ward of Turan, Kwande LGA, killing several people.
That comparison underlines a hard truth: insecurity is increasingly multi-directional. It is not confined to one region, one pattern, or one set of perpetrators. Communities are facing varying forms of violence, and the national response is being judged not by promises, but by prevention.
From the federal angle, the AP report suggests the government now sees the Kwara tragedy as a warning sign of a new front, with a military operation announced to halt the spread of militants. But for families in Woro and Nuku, the most immediate question is simpler: will security return fast enough to prevent the next attack?
Kwara attack: Persistent killings of innocent Nigerians unacceptable, troubling – Natasha ultimately reflects the growing demand for accountability. Nigerians want to know who did this, why it happened, and what changes will stop the cycle.
If there is one line in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s message that captures the national mood, it is this: leadership and security agencies bear both constitutional and moral responsibility to prevent further bloodshed.
And as communities bury their dead, that responsibility is no longer an abstract duty. It is the difference between normal life and permanent fear,Kwara attack: Persistent killings of innocent Nigerians unacceptable, troubling .
