United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the deadly terrorist attack in Kwara State, north-central Nigeria, in which more than 100 people were reportedly killed.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Guterres stressed the need for the perpetrators of the attack to be swiftly identified and brought to justice.
The attack was reportedly carried out by terrorists belonging to the Memuda sect, who struck the Nuku and Woro communities on Tuesday night into the early hours of Wednesday, leaving scores of people dead and widespread destruction of property.
The UN chief expressed his “heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of Nigeria”.
He also wished those injured in the attack a speedy recovery.
“The Secretary-General reiterates the solidarity of the United Nations with the Government and people of Nigeria in their efforts to fight terrorism and violent extremism and stresses the importance of bringing the perpetrators to justice,” the statement said.
Media reports indicated that armed groups launched coordinated attacks on the two rural communities on Tuesday, with the death toll expected to increase as more bodies are discovered.
Many of the victims were reportedly shot at close range, while houses and shops were set on fire, forcing residents to flee into surrounding bushland.
The incident is described as the deadliest attack in the area in recent months, coming amid escalating violence in Nigeria’s northwest and north-central regions, where armed groups have increasingly targeted civilian populations.
The deteriorating security situation has also worsened the humanitarian crisis in the affected areas, leading to mass displacement and rising levels of hunger and malnutrition.
