Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday visited Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, days after a brutal attack that left at least 75 villagers dead.
His trip, officials said, followed a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who asked the vice president to personally assess the tragedy and deliver federal condolences.
Confirming the mandate, Shettima’s media aide, Stany Nkwocha, said, “The President has directed that the vice president assess the situation firsthand and convey federal condolences to the grieving families.”
Shettima was received in the state by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other senior officials.
Governor AbdulRazaq had earlier condemned the killings, describing the victims as devout Muslims who were “massacred for refusing to submit to extremists preaching a strange doctrine.”
Early reports had placed the death toll at more than 100.
The attack, carried out on Tuesday night, reportedly followed the community’s rejection of an attempt by militants to force residents to adopt extremist teachings.
Nkwocha also disclosed that Shettima was in Kwara to deliver President Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring accountability.
“VP Shettima is conveying President Tinubu’s strong assurances that the Federal Government will not relent until those responsible are tracked, apprehended, and brought to justice,” he said.
President Tinubu had earlier condemned the attacks on Woro and Nuku communities, calling the killers’ actions “cowardly and beastly.”
He announced that an Army battalion under Operation Savannah Shield had been deployed to the area to pursue the perpetrators and secure vulnerable settlements.
The president also urged tighter coordination between federal and state authorities to support the victims and ensure that those behind the violence face justice.
