President Bola Tinubu convened an emergency security meeting with Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Thursday as national and international indignation over the massacre of residents in the state’s Kaiama Local Government Area grew.
The meeting came as the United Nations and Türkiye condemned the killings, northern senators demanded a sweeping security overhaul, and the Inspector-General of Police ordered the deployment of tactical teams to the affected communities.
The deadly attack, which claimed at least 75 lives, according to government figures, has triggered renewed calls for mass recruitment of security personnel, expansion of armouries and intelligence capacity, and stronger federal intervention, with lawmakers warning that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity—particularly in rural communities—now poses a grave threat to national stability.
Also, the Northern Senators Forum called on the Federal Government to urgently recruit more security personnel and strengthen operational capacity to curb the rising wave of violent attacks across several states.
The appeal followed the deadly assaults in Kwara, Katsina and Benue states, which lawmakers said had left more than 130 people dead.
Chairman of the Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, made the call in a condolence message issued in Abuja on Thursday, commiserating with the affected states and communities.
At least 100 people were feared killed during an attack on Tuesday night on the Woro and Nuku communities in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State by Islamic militants.
“We acknowledge the efforts of security agencies and urge citizens to cooperate with them by reporting suspicious activities,” Yar’Adua said. “However, we call on the Federal Government to urgently increase the recruitment of security personnel and enhance their capacity to combat these growing threats.”
He added, “We express our deepest condolences to the governments and people of Kwara, Katsina and Benue states on the recent brutal attacks that have claimed over 130 lives. These senseless acts of violence are a stark reminder of the insecurity plaguing our nation.”
According to him, the Forum remains committed to supporting measures that address the root causes of insecurity and promote national stability.
The lawmakers’ intervention adds to growing concerns within the National Assembly over worsening insecurity, particularly in rural communities repeatedly targeted by bandits and extremist groups.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday, ordered the immediate deployment of tactical, operational, and intelligence assets to Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, the police confirmed that 75 persons were killed in the attack.
“The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns the violent attack that occurred on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, which sadly resulted in the confirmed death of seventy-five persons,” Hundeyin said.
