The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) issues this statement with profound outrage over the horrific massacre in Woro and Nuku villages of Kwara State, where religious extremists allegedly slaughtered no fewer than 162 innocent Nigerians.
The February 3 attacks, reportedly carried out by members of the Islamist sect Lakurawa, left entire communities devastated.
Homes were razed, families shattered, and lives extinguished in yet another grim reminder of Nigeria’s spiraling insecurity.
This tragedy is not an isolated incident; it is part of a worsening pattern of mass violence that exposes the collapse of basic protections for citizens.
Eyewitness accounts reveal that the attackers operated freely for hours, beginning around 3 p.m. and continuing through the night into the next day. Shockingly, security forces arrived only after the carnage was complete.
Such a prolonged assault, without timely intervention from the military, police, DSS, or any security agency, raises deeply troubling questions about preparedness, coordination, and possible internal failures within Nigeria’s security architecture.
CHRICED holds the federal government accountable for the persistent deterioration of national security.
The repeated inability to prevent mass killings, protect rural communities, or dismantle violent networks reflects a governance model that reacts only after lives have been lost. Terrorists and bandits now appear to dictate the tempo of national security, while the state scrambles behind them.
Equally disturbing is the Kwara State Government’s attempt to downplay the scale of the tragedy by claiming only 75 deaths, contradicting community reports confirming more than 162 victims.
In moments of national grief, truth must not be sacrificed. Minimizing casualties dishonours the dead, erodes public trust, and obstructs justice.
The Kwara massacre mirrors a troubling pattern across the country.
Three months ago, in Kebbi State, Governor Nasir Idris raised alarm over the alleged withdrawal of military personnel from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, shortly before bandits attacked the school, abducting students and killing the Vice Principal.
The military has yet to release the findings of its investigation publicly.
Similarly, in Niger State, the November 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri exposed what residents described as delayed or inadequate security response.
In Kaduna State, coordinated attacks on churches in Kajuru were initially denied by authorities, only to be acknowledged more than 48 hours later.
These recurring failures demand urgent, transparent, and independent investigations.
They point to systemic weaknesses, operational negligence, or even possible sabotage within the security system.
Nigeria is witnessing a dangerous erosion of state authority.
In several northern communities, residents are reportedly paying levies to armed groups for protection, while struggling to meet their civic obligations to a government they no longer trust to safeguard their lives.
This inversion of legitimacy is a classic marker of state fragility. For a nation of Nigeria’s size and importance, this trajectory is alarming and unacceptable.
CHRICED is further appalled that political activities continue at full throttle despite daily bloodshed.
The feverish maneuvering ahead of the 2027 elections appears to overshadow the mourning of victims and the urgent need for decisive governance.
This prioritization of political ambition over human life is a moral failure.
Nigeria’s security response remains fragmented, reactive, and insufficient. Without a coordinated, intelligence-driven, and accountable strategy, armed groups will continue to exploit gaps and terrorize communities at will.
CHRICED therefore demands:
• An immediate, independent investigation into the Kwara massacre, including a full audit of security response timelines and any operational lapses.
• Comprehensive security sector reform, with stronger inter-agency coordination, rapid deployment capacity, and strict accountability for negligence or complicity.
• A shift from post-attack reaction to proactive disruption of terrorist networks, supply chains, and financiers.
• Compensation, trauma support, and reconstruction assistance for victims and affected communities.
We urge the media to continue investigative reporting, monitor government commitments, and amplify the voices of survivors.
Civil society organizations must intensify advocacy, demand accountability, and mobilize citizens, peacefully and lawfully, to resist the normalization of violence.
Religious and traditional leaders must speak boldly and consistently against extremism, refusing to allow their platforms to be exploited by violent actors.
The era of routine condemnations without structural change must end. All levels of government must demonstrate the political will to protect Nigerians or risk further descent into chaos.
