The United States government has officially joined a chorus of international outrage following the devastating Kwara massacre that claimed the lives of at least 162 villagers in north-central Nigeria.
In a strongly worded statement released via the U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Friday, American officials described the coordinated assault on the Woro and Nuku communities as “horrific” and “senseless,” urging the Nigerian government to ensure that those responsible for the carnage face the full weight of the law.
The violence erupted on the evening of February 3, 2026, when hundreds of heavily armed terrorists stormed the remote villages in the Kaiama Local Government Area.
For several hours, the attackers had “free rein,” shooting residents at close range, burning homes, and razing the palace of a traditional ruler.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the Kwara massacre was triggered by the villagers’ refusal to adhere to the extremists’ radical doctrines.
While the Nigerian Police Force said 75 persons were confirmed killed in the assault on Woro and Nuku communities, local sources and international observers put the death toll significantly higher.
Reacting, the U.S Mission said: “The United States condemns the horrific attack in Kwara state in Nigeria, which claimed the lives of more than 160 people, with the death toll still unconfirmed and many still unaccounted for.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of those affected by this senseless violence,” the statement read.
It welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to deploy security forces to protect affected communities.
“We welcome President Tinubu’s order to deploy security forces to protect villages in the area and his directive to federal and state officials to provide aid to the community and bring the perpetrators of this atrocity to justice,” the statement added.
The reaction adds to international condemnation of the attack, which had earlier drawn rebukes from the United Nations and the Republic of Türkiye.
Tinubu had ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama and approved the creation of a new military command to lead the operation, following the assault on Woro and Nuku communities.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had also ordered the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence teams to Kaiama and surrounding communities to restore calm and prevent further attacks.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq stated that the deployment of troops under Operation Savannah Shield would help deter further violence, noting that security forces were already on the ground.
