At least 162 people were killed when armed militants attacked the villages of Oru and Nuku in Nigeria’s western Kwara State on Tuesday, February 4. Local lawmaker Mohammed Omar Bio confirmed the death toll and said a group called ‘Lakurawa,’ suspected to be linked to the Islamic State, was believed to be responsible. Witnesses reported that the attackers tied villagers’ hands, lined them up, and opened fire, also setting homes and shops ablaze. Several people, including the traditional ruler, remain missing as the army continues recovery and search operations.

Amnesty International condemned the attack, suggesting the death toll could exceed 170, and accused security forces of failing to act despite prior threats from gunmen over the past five months. Villagers said the assailants promoted jihadist ideology and demanded allegiance to Sharia law, which the community rejected during a religious gathering before the massacre.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq denounced the assault as a cowardly act of terrorism. Analysts said the incident highlights Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, marked by jihadist insurgency, banditry, and communal violence across multiple regions.