Southern Governors Demand Justice After Terror Attack Kills 162 in Kwara Communities

|By Chiwendu Nwani

The Southern Governors’ Forum has demanded swift justice for victims of a deadly terror attack in Kwara State that claimed at least 162 lives in the Woro and Nuku communities.

Chairman of the Forum and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, raised the demand in a statement issued on Saturday in Abeokuta, where he commiserated with the Kwara State Government and families affected by the violence.

Abiodun described the attack as a brutal assault on innocent and law-abiding citizens who were carrying out their daily activities before they were targeted by assailants.

He condemned the motive behind the violence, noting that residents were reportedly attacked for refusing to adopt Sharia law. According to him, the attackers razed houses and shops and abducted several people during the raid.

The Ogun governor stressed that the incident violates Nigeria’s constitutional order and undermines citizens’ fundamental right to freedom of religion.

“Nigeria is a secular state, and no group has the right to force its beliefs on others through violence,” Abiodun said.

The Southern Governors’ Forum urged security agencies to immediately track down those responsible for the killings and ensure they face the full weight of the law.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Abiodun expressed deep condolences over what he described as a “dastardly terror attack,” adding that the perpetrators must not be allowed to escape justice.

“This is senseless violence that must be nipped in the bud. Security agencies must intensify operations against the perpetrators and bring them to book. They must be hunted down and dealt with severely,” he said.

The Forum also sympathised with Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq, and the people of the state over the lives lost and widespread destruction caused by the attack.

Abiodun reaffirmed the governors’ solidarity with Kwara State and called for decisive security measures to prevent further attacks and protect innocent citizens.