Dare Babalola
The Woro community in Kwara State’s Kaiama local government area is mourning after recovering 78 bodies of victims of a Tuesday attack by armed bandits.
The community performed the funeral prayer (janazah) for the victims around 6:30 pm on Wednesday, just before the evening Magrib prayer.
Hon. Saidu Baba Ahmed, the state lawmaker representing Gwanabe/Gwaria constituency in Kaiama local government area, confirmed that the funeral prayer (janazah) was held, and he was present to witness it.
He confirmed that the 78 recovered corpses comprised 75 males and three females, and disclosed that 35 residents were abducted and taken into the bush by armed bandits.
He added, “We have recovered 78 corpses – 75 males, three females. We performed janazah (funeral prayer) on the corpses around 6.30pm. We have commenced burying the corpses in batches. Some were put together in groups of 10, 15, and 20 and given a mass burial.
“The information at my disposal indicated that the casualties are about 170. So, our people are still in the bush searching for more bodies. 35 women were abducted. Survivors are also taking refuge in the bush.”
Sources said that two children of the village head of the Wthe oro community were among those who were killed by the bandits.
They added that the palace of the village head, residential buildings, nd shops were razed by the rampaging bandits.
A source said, “The casualties are over 40 as we speak and soldiers and forest guards have taken over the two communities.”
But, a community leader in Kaiama and former member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Aliyu Mande, insisted that the casualty figure was more than 40.
“My brother, the casualty figure is more than 40. It’s about 86 and two children of the village head were among the victims. One of the village’s head children that were killed just graduated from the School of Nursing in 2025.
“The bandits also burnt the village head’s palace, shops, and residential buildings. We are indeed devastated. The loss of lives and property is huge and unimaginable,” Mande said.
