Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has condemned the killing of over 100 people in Woro community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, by gunmen on Tuesday.
Saraki, a former Governor of Kwara State, described the killings as a national disaster, noting that what is being witnessed in parts of the state — particularly in the northern and southern senatorial districts — has gone beyond the capacity of the state government and now requires decisive, direct federal intervention.
“What we require now to stop this mass destruction of lives and properties in our state and to restore harmony is the decisive and direct intervention from President Tinubu. We call on the Commander-in-Chief to direct the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Second Mechanised Infantry Division, Ibadan, to second his men to deploy into the troubled districts of Kwara State fully and to establish a base in the affected areas,” he said.
He stressed the need for other security agencies to work together and maintain a strong presence across the state, pointing out that “this is the only way we can deter these assailants.”
Saraki warned that insurgents fleeing the firepower of security agencies in other states in the North Central zone should not be allowed to find a comfort zone in Kwara State.
“Kwara State is too strategic to this country that we should not allow insurgency to gain ground there. It is a state located in the middle of the country and serves as a bridge between the North and the Southwest,” the politician said.
He also noted that Kwara shares an international border with the Republic of Benin and borders several other states.
Saraki condoled with residents of the Woro community, particularly families who lost their loved ones. “May Almighty Allah (SWT) comfort them and grant them the strength and fortitude to bear the loss. Also, may He heal all the wounded.”
However, he mentioned that the reaction to the incident should not be limited to mere press comments alone, saying: “We should ensure that this violence against our people does not happen again anywhere in Kwara State. While the Federal Government should move strongly to protect people across the state, the state government and its respective local government councils should play their part.”
Saraki asserted that the state has never been this unsafe, noting that it has historically been a peaceful place, hence the sobriquet ‘State of Harmony’.
“Unfortunately, things have gone this badly. The level of killings, arson, and displacement of people that we are witnessing now is unprecedented,” he lamented.
The former Senate President reiterated the need for decisive measures to halt the orchestrated violence, describing the attack as a national emergency and an act of war against Nigeria that must be defeated without delay.
“May Almighty Allah (SWT) give our country victory over these non-state actors,” he prayed.
