Terror in Kwara: 162 Feared Dead as Lakurawa Militants Overrun Villages in Nigeria’s Deadliest Attack of 2026

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At least 162 people have been killed after suspected Islamist militants linked to the Islamic State group carried out a coordinated overnight attack on two remote communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, marking one of the deadliest terror incidents in Nigeria so far this year.

The affected villages—Woro and Nuku, located near the Benin Republic border—were attacked late Tuesday by heavily armed gunmen believed to be members of Lakurawa, a jihadist faction associated with the Islamic State Sahel Province. The communities are several hours from the state capital, Ilorin, and are largely inaccessible due to poor road networks and dense forest terrain.

According to eyewitness accounts and local officials, the attackers arrived on motorcycles, overwhelming the villages and setting homes, shops, and public buildings ablaze before fleeing into nearby bush paths. Entire families were reportedly caught off guard as residents attempted to escape the assault.

Mohammed Omar Bio, the federal lawmaker representing the constituency, told the Associated Press that the confirmed death toll had risen to 162 by Wednesday afternoon, warning that the figure could increase as search and rescue efforts continue.

The Nigerian Red Cross Society in Kwara State also confirmed the casualty figure. Its state secretary, Ayodeji Emmanuel Babaomo, said recovery operations remain difficult due to the remoteness of the area and lingering security threats.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the killings, describing the attack as “a cowardly act of terror” and an apparent response to intensified military operations against extremist groups in the state. Nigerian security forces launched a sustained offensive against terrorist hideouts in Kwara and neighboring areas last month, following growing concerns about militant infiltration from the Sahel.

Although no group has officially claimed responsibility, security sources and local leaders have attributed the attack to Lakurawa, which has expanded its presence from Niger into parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria amid regional instability.

The massacre comes as Nigeria grapples with multiple security challenges, including the long-running Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgency in the northeast, widespread banditry and kidnappings in the northwest, and recurring attacks on rural communities.

In a separate incident the same day, gunmen killed at least 21 people in Katsina State, reportedly in retaliation for recent military raids. Just last week, coordinated attacks on a construction site and a military base in the northeast claimed dozens of lives.

The Kwara killings underscore growing fears about the westward spread of jihadist violence, exploiting porous borders and overstretched security resources. Survivors from Woro and Nuku have reportedly fled to surrounding towns and forests as troops continue pursuit operations.

As the nation mourns, pressure is mounting on authorities to strengthen border security, improve intelligence coordination, and protect vulnerable rural communities from escalating extremist violence.