Suspected jihadist fighters killed at least 162 people in a brutal assault on villages in Kwara State, marking the deadliest armed attack in Nigeria so far in 2026, according to local authorities, the Red Cross and eyewitness accounts.

The attack targeted Woro village—and reportedly neighbouring Nuku—in Kaiama Local Government Area on Tuesday evening. Attackers reportedly rounded up residents, bound their hands behind their backs, and executed them before setting homes, shops, and the traditional ruler’s palace ablaze.

Babaomo Ayodeji, Kwara State Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross, confirmed to AFP that the death toll stood at 162 by Wednesday afternoon, with search efforts for additional bodies ongoing in the remote area near the Benin border. A local politician, Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, told Reuters the figure could be as high as 170, and described assisting military personnel in recovering bodies and searching surrounding bushland where many wounded villagers had fled.

Residents reported that the gunmen were jihadists who had previously preached in the community, demanding that villagers abandon allegiance to the Nigerian state and adopt Sharia law under their extremist interpretation. When residents resisted during what appeared to be a sermon, the attackers opened fire indiscriminately.

The traditional ruler of Woro remains missing, along with several other residents. Police have acknowledged the incident but have not yet released official casualty figures.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the killings as “a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells” in response to intensified counter-terrorism operations in the state. He noted that the victims included local Muslims who refused to submit to the extremists’ violent doctrine.

In a statement issued Wednesday night, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu strongly denounced the “cowardly and beastly attack,” describing the perpetrators as heartless for targeting defenseless communities and soft targets. He praised the villagers—many of whom were Muslim—for rejecting attempts at violent indoctrination and choosing a path of peace over extremism.

“It’s commendable that the community members, even though Muslims, refused to be conscripted into a weird belief that promoted violence over peace and dialogue,” President Tinubu said.

The President ordered the immediate deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama LGA to launch Operation Savannah Shield, aimed at neutralizing the terrorists and safeguarding vulnerable communities. He urged close collaboration between federal and state agencies to support affected residents, ensure justice for the perpetrators, and prevent future escapes from accountability.

President Tinubu also offered condolences to the families of the victims, the people of Kwara State, and prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed.

The assault highlights Nigeria’s ongoing and overlapping security challenges, including jihadist insurgencies in the northeast and northwest, bandit kidnappings, and intercommunal clashes in central regions. The incident has drawn renewed international concern, with the U.S. Africa Command recently confirming the deployment of a small military team to bolster cooperation with Nigerian forces.

No group has officially claimed responsibility, though some reports link the attackers to factions affiliated with Islamic State or similar extremist networks operating in the region. Investigations continue as recovery efforts persist in the affected communities.