Kwara State, Nigeria — Security forces and local authorities are grappling with the aftermath of one of the deadliest assaults this year after armed militants carried out brutal attacks on communities in Kaiama Local Government Area.

On February 3, heavily armed groups stormed the neighbouring villages of Woro and Nuku, killing scores of residents and setting homes and shops ablaze. Officials say at least 162 people were killed in the onslaught, making it among the most lethal attacks in the region in recent months. Initial estimates suggest the toll may be even higher as rescue teams continue to search remote areas for additional victims.

Read More: Gunmen Kill 162 in Kwara Village Attack, Red Cross Says

Eyewitness accounts describe the attackers arriving on motorcycles and forcing their way into homes, opening fire on villagers and burning buildings. Some survivors said residents were bound and executed, and dozens of women and children were taken captive.

In response to the violence, community and civil society groups have demanded the immediate release of more than 176 abducted women and children, highlighting the urgency of security and humanitarian concerns.

Amid the chaos, authorities in Kwara State have stepped up security efforts. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and state leaders authorised a joint military and multi-agency operation called Operation Savannah Shield to root out extremist networks and stabilize violence-affected areas.

Military commanders say the offensive will target armed groups operating in forested border regions around the state.

To prevent further breakdown of law and order, the Chairman of Kaiama Local Government

Area, Abubakar Danladi, announced a night-time curfew across the council. Effective immediately, all movement vehicular and on foot is banned between 9:00pm and 5:30am daily. The measure, described as temporary, is aimed at giving security forces space to carry out operations without interference while protecting residents’ lives and property.

Danladi emphasised that the restriction is not meant to disrupt everyday life but to halt further attacks and reassure the community as additional measures are deployed.

The curfew follows the traumatic events in Woro and Nuku, where local residents reported gunmen killing and abducting villagers before disappearing into nearby bushland. In the days after the attack, more than 170 bodies were reportedly recovered and given mass burials, while patrols by soldiers and police intensified across the region.

Authorities continue urging calm as investigations and search efforts go on, even as relatives of the missing call for answers and the safe return of abducted loved ones.