Prosper Okoye
The Federal Government on Thursday launched a major security operation across Nigeria’s North-Central region after gunmen killed at least 75 people in coordinated attacks on two communities in Kwara State.
The new offensive, code-named Operation Savannah Shield, will see additional soldiers, police units and forest guards deployed to rural areas considered most vulnerable to armed attacks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said in a statement.
The move follows Tuesday evening’s assault on Woro and neighbouring Nuku communities in Kwara North, where residents were shot, homes and shops were burnt, and hundreds of people fled into surrounding bushes.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIdris said the operation forms part of the expanded national security mandate approved by President Bola Tinubu in November, under which the government declared a state of emergency on security.
“Our administration remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the lives of all Nigerians and protecting their constitutional right to live and worship freely without fear,” the minister said.
He said Operation Savannah Shield would be driven by enhanced intelligence gathering and rapid-response units, with a focus on protecting rural communities that have increasingly come under attack.
Tinubu described the Kwara killings as “beastly” and “heartless”, promising that those responsible would face the full weight of the law.
Security has also been tightened around places of worship, particularly churches, with increased patrols during Sunday services in coordination with community and faith leaders, Idris said.
In a related move, the Nigeria Police Force has begun a large-scale redeployment of officers previously attached to VIP escort duties to frontline community policing roles. The redeployed officers are being sent to Kwara, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory.
The presidency said Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy would remain Nigerian-led and sovereignty-driven, but added that the government was open to intelligence and surveillance support from foreign partners, including the United States, where it aligns with national interests.
Prime Business AFRICA recalls that attacks on Woro and Nuku took place at about 5:30pm on Tuesday, according to local officials. Gunmen reportedly opened fire on residents, set shops on fire and torched the home of a traditional ruler before fleeing.
Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq described the incident as a “pure massacre” and confirmed that at least 75 victims had been buried.
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The Northern States Governors’ Forum also condemned the killings in Kwara, Katsina and Benue, calling them “barbaric” and “a direct assault on the collective conscience of the nation”.
In response, President Tinubu has ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kwara State to reinforce security operations as troops move in under Operation Savannah Shield.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
