Terrorists Carried Out Mass Killings In Kwara Community After Residents Rejected Ideological Indoctrination — Defence Headquarters

Abuja, Nigeria — The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed that the brutal massacre of residents of Woro and neighbouring communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State was carried out by terrorists who attacked the villages after locals rejected attempts to subject them to ideological indoctrination and extremist preaching.

The military made this disclosure in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba.

According to the DHQ, the terrorists had earlier infiltrated Woro village under the guise of seeking permission to “conduct preaching and indoctrination sessions.” Community members, however, reportedly rejected the request outright, refusing to compromise their beliefs, values, and constitutional allegiance.

Following the initial encounter, the military said it was alerted to the threat and swiftly deployed troops to the area.

Soldiers reportedly maintained a strong security presence, including patrols, surveillance, and other protective measures, for about two weeks to deter any possible attack.

However, the DHQ revealed that after the troops were eventually withdrawn, the terrorists returned weeks lalatethe terrorists unleashed violence on defenceless villagers.

“However, weeks after the troops withdrew, the cowardly terrorists returned to kill innocent citizens in protest and in a bid to terrorise inhabitants and others,” the statement said.

The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, left Woro and surrounding communities in mourning, with families wiped out and entire settlements thrown into grief and fear.

The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) commended the affected communities for their resilience, courage, and refusal to abandon their way of life despite threats and intimidation by violent extremists.

“The AFN mourns with the families of those who have lost loved ones in these and other similar brutal attacks on defenceless citizens defending community values and freedom across Nigeria,” the military said.

The DHQ used the occasion to warn Nigerians against submitting to ideological coercion by extremist groups, stressing that such groups thrive on fear, misinformation, and violence to impose what it described as “twisted beliefs.”

It called on citizens across the country to remain steadfast in their faith in the Constitution and to resist all forms of violent indoctrination, noting that community unity and collective resilience remain critical to defeating terrorism.

The military also urged Nigerians to strengthen cooperation with security agencies by sharing timely and credible intelligence, insisting that public support remains a crucial pillar in the fight against insurgency and terrorism.

Reaffirming its commitment to national security, the Defence Headquarters said efforts had been intensified, in collaboration with other security and intelligence agencies, to track down, apprehend, and prosecute those responsible for the Woro massacre and other terror-related crimes across the country.