Kwara Attack: Village head says 75 buried, speaks on terrorists’ letter

Salihu Umar, the village head of Woro, a community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, where Boko Haram terrorists killed scores of residents on Tuesday, has confirmed that the terrorists sent a letter to the community three weeks earlier.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that the letter was sent about five months ago, indicating that the group wanted to visit the village for preaching.

“There was a letter sent about three weeks ago,” Mr Umar told our reporter from his place of refuge.

“I made a photocopy of the letter and took it to the Kaiama Emirate. I also forwarded a soft copy to the State Security Services (SSS) office in Kaiama.”

The original copy of the letter sighted by our reporter was dated 19 Rajab 1447, equivalent to 8 January.

The senders of the letter identified themselves as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’adati wal-Jihad (JAS), the main Boko Haram faction now led by its overall leader, Bakura Doro, who succeeded late Abubakar Shekau.

In the letter, written in Hausa, the terrorists stated that they wanted to “secretly” meet with Mr Umar or his representatives to “discuss with you.”

The letter added: “And we want to come to your town to preach to the people and not to harm you or your people.”

Mr Umar clarified that the community had been under threat for months.

According to him, the terrorists clashed with soldiers stationed in the village in November after confronting troops deployed to neighbouring Nuku, forcing the military authorities to withdraw the soldiers.

Our reporter attempted to reach the Emir of Kaiama, Muazu Omar, for comments, but repeated phone calls were not answered.

Communication with the village head was also affected by a poor and fluctuating network, making it impossible to continue the conversation or obtain further details from him.

‘75 buried so far’

Mr Umar, who was initially missing after the attack, said at least 75 bodies had been buried, adding that more bodies were likely still in nearby bushes.

Rafiu Ajakaiye, spokesperson for Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, corroborated the account, citing estimates he attributed to the Emir of Kaiama during a visit to the palace by government officials led by the governor.

While the Red Cross said 162 deaths had been confirmed as of Wednesday evening, other accounts estimated more people were killed.

Although the Kwara State Police Command confirmed the attack, it did not disclose any casualty toll.

The terrorists under the command of Mallam Sadiku, invaded the village on Tuesday evening and unleashed terror for several hours.

Mr Sadiku is a Boko Haram commander sent by the group’s late leader, Mr Shekau, to open new fronts outside the North-east.

Apart from burning shops and houses, including the village head’s palace, the terrorists also abducted women and children.

Village head’s sons killed, three daughters and wife abducted

Mr Umar said two of his sons—Khalid and Zakariya—were killed during the attack, while his second wife and three daughters were abducted.

He added that the attackers stole his Toyota Highlander, burnt his pickup van and motorcycles, and killed one of his brothers, Mohammed Yusuf, before making away with his Toyota Camry.

“I would have been a victim too,” he said. “When they came, I was not at home. I was elsewhere in the community when people started shouting that they had arrived. That was how I managed to escape.”

He also said he returned to the village in the early hours of Thursday as part of the governor’s entourage.

Sadiku’s reign of terror

After many years of bloodshed in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, the Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction relocated to Kainji forest reserve in July last year.

This newspaper exclusively reported last year that Mr Sadiku instructed the women in his camp to lead in the relocation.

The group was operating from Alawa forest reserve in Shiroro LGA. Its campaign of terror had driven locals away from their homes and separated families from their children.

This newspaper reported how the group abducted girls and forcefully married them, turning some of them into unprepared mothers. It was also notorious for conscripting boys into its fold, but mostly using them for hard labour.

READ ALSO: Troops nab suspected ISWAP logistics supplier, secure refugee return in Borno

Respected jihadi researchers and ex-members of the group told this reporter that the group left its former Shiroro base as a result of sustained military aerial attacks and infighting with Dogo Gide, a notorious bandit leader Mallam Sadiku with whom he collaborated to stage high-profile attacks, including the 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

Barely four months after its relocation, the group invaded Papiri, a community on the fringes of Kainji National Park, kidnapping over 300