Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday met with Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the Presidential Villa in Abuja following a deadly attack in Kaiama Local Government Area that left more than 100 people dead.
The victims, primarily residents of Woro community, were reportedly killed by suspected jihadist fighters. Authorities said 78 bodies were recovered, including 75 males and three females, while 35 residents were abducted during the raid. Funeral prayers were held on Wednesday evening.
In response, President Tinubu ordered the deployment of a military battalion to the affected area, appointed a field commander, and launched a new operation, codenamed Operation Savanna Shield, aimed at restoring security and providing immediate relief to the communities.
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said in a post on X that the operation “will help the beleaguered people of Kaiama and others as President Tinubu orders the deployment of a military battalion, the appointment of a commander and the start of Operation Savanna Shield.”
Governor AbdulRazaq described the killings as a brutal attempt to force local Muslims to adhere to extremist ideology. “Seventy-five local Muslims were massacred simply for refusing to surrender to extremists who preached a strange doctrine,” he said.
The federal intervention aims to strengthen security presence in the area, stabilize communities, and prevent further attacks. President Tinubu condemned the massacre as “cowardly and inhumane” and urged closer collaboration between federal and state agencies to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
The meeting at the Presidential Villa was attended by the Senate President, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the governors of Imo, Kebbi, and Cross River states.
