By Ghazali Ibrahim
Residents of the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area say suspected jihadist fighters sent a letter to local leaders expressing a desire to come and “preach” before carrying out a deadly attack that left dozens of villagers dead.
According to the village head, Salihu Umar, the letter allegedly delivered in early January identified its senders as members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’adati wal-Jihad (JAS), a faction linked to Boko Haram.
The letter reportedly stated that the group wanted to “secretly” meet with community representatives and preach to residents without causing harm.
Mr. Umar said he copied the document and passed it on to traditional authorities and the State Security Services before the attack.
On the evening of February 4, 2026, heavily armed gunmen on motorcycles stormed the villages, killing residents, burning homes and shops, and abducting women and children.
Estimates of the death toll vary with government figures referring to at least 75 confirmed deaths and international organizations citing numbers above 160.
Witnesses and survivors told reporters that the attackers overpowered villagers and executed many at close range. Some described how the gunmen used religious language and ideological messaging as they pushed into the communities.
A Kwara state lawmaker say security agencies were informed about the letter and briefly deployed troops to the area but later withdrew. After the massacre, President Bola Tinubu ordered an army battalion to the Kaiama area to track the assailants and bolster security.
The Nigerian government has blamed the atrocity on extremist factions, though none of the groups directly claimed responsibility.
International human rights organizations and analysts warn this attack underscores Nigeria’s growing security challenges, as militant and armed groups expand beyond the traditional northeast insurgency zones.
The core claim that militants sent a pre-attack letter about preaching is reported by multiple reputable Nigerian news outlets and confirmed by local leaders interviewed by reporters.
However, foreign or extremist parties have not publicly released the letter themselves or taken responsibility, and security agencies’ direct confirmation in their own statements has not been independently published.
