Dozens of residents have been killed after armed attackers stormed two villages in Kwara State, western Nigeria, leaving homes and businesses in flames and sending villagers fleeing into nearby forests, local officials have said.
Lawmaker Saidu Baba Ahmed told BBC Hausa that the villages of Nuku and Woro were hit in a sudden attack that also targeted the home of the traditional leader. He described the scene as chaotic, with many people running for their lives.
Casualty reports vary. Ahmed confirmed at least 35 deaths, while Babaomo Ayodeji of the Red Cross in Kwara said the number of fatalities has reached 162, with authorities continuing to search for more bodies. Some residents remain unaccounted for.
The assault comes as Nigerian Defence Minister Chrisopher Musa officially acknowledged that a small contingent of US troops is in the country to support intelligence and training operations.
This is the first confirmation from Nigeria of an American military presence since US President Donald Trump ordered preparations last November for action against Islamist militant groups.
Musa did not provide details on the number of US personnel, when they arrived, where they are stationed, or how long they would remain.
Gen Dagvin Anderson of US Africa Command said on Tuesday that the deployment followed a request from Nigeria and is intended to provide intelligence support. "Our partnership with Nigeria is a great example of a very willing and capable partner who requested the unique capabilities that only the US can bring," he said.
Kwara police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi told the BBC that the attack began at around 17:30 local time on Tuesday. She blamed suspected bandits and said that security forces had been dispatched, though casualty numbers and the missing were still being verified.
Ahmed described the attack on Woro as a continuation of several smaller incidents in recent days. "They started shooting sporadically, they burnt shops, at least 35 bodies have been retrieved - more bodies could be retrieved because people ran into the forest with gunshot wounds," he said. "It was complete chaos... Everybody is terrified."
For years, bandits have primarily operated in north-western Nigeria, but recent activity has expanded to other regions including Kwara and Niger states. There are also reports of jihadist attacks by suspected Boko Haram splinter groups, who have carried out targeted killings, often riding motorcycles to markets and villages, attacking vigilante groups along the way.
Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said the raid may be linked to recent counter-terrorism efforts. His press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, stated that the attack was "apparently to distract the security forces who have successfully hunted down several terrorist and kidnapping gangs."
On the same day, 17 people were killed in Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria during a series of attacks by suspected Boko Haram militants.
The United States and Nigeria have a long history of joint military exercises and training programs, but US involvement has recently intensified, including airstrikes on Christmas Day targeting Islamist militant camps in north-western Nigeria.
The White House has urged Nigeria to improve security, especially for Christian communities, after Trump claimed a "Christian genocide" was occurring in the country—a statement rejected by the Nigerian government, which said victims include Muslims, Christians, and people of no faith.
Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups and is broadly divided between a mainly Muslim north and largely Christian south, with intermingling in central regions. Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said the Christmas Day airstrikes were approved by President Bola Tinubu and carried out with Nigerian forces.
Since then, cooperation between the two countries has grown. Last month, the US delivered critical supplies to support Nigeria’s security operations. Nigerian authorities told the BBC that the equipment had been purchased earlier to aid counter-insurgency campaigns.
In recent weeks, Nigerian troops have increased operations against armed groups. On Sunday, the army announced it had killed a senior Boko Haram commander and 10 other militants during an operation in Borno State.
