Survivors of the deadly attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have accused government officials of turning post-massacre relief distribution into a political mobilisation exercise for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The February 4, 2026 assault by suspected terrorists left scores of residents dead in what has been described as one of the worst attacks in the state in recent years. Among those reportedly killed were two wives of the Emir of Woro, several of his children, the Chief Imam, a school principal, a headmistress and returning students. The Emir, Alhaji Saliu Bio Umar, was declared missing amid fears that he may have been abducted or killed.
Security sources linked the attackers to a Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction believed to have operational ties with extremist networks in the Sahel region.
In the wake of the massacre, displaced residents from Woro, Baburasa and Wawa communities alleged that the distribution of rice and other relief materials was politicised, with beneficiaries allegedly selected along party lines.
“We are farmers. Food is not our problem,” a displaced woman said. “What we are asking for is security so we can go back to our homes. Our husbands were killed, our shops burnt, and we are now living in fear.”
Some survivors claimed that many genuine residents who fled after the attack were excluded from the distribution process.
“Most of the people who collected the rice are not even from Woro,” another resident alleged. “Many real residents ran away after the killings. The distribution was used to gather party loyalists. It looked more like a political gathering than help for victims.”
A male survivor further alleged that the event was used to canvass support for the APC. “All they talked about was support for APC and how people should vote. It felt like they were rewarding party members instead of helping those who suffered,” he said.
The displaced residents specifically accused the Vice Chairman of Kaiama Local Government, Hajjia Abubakar Aishat Sadiq, of spearheading what they described as a politically motivated relief effort.
“It was not about our pain,” one woman said. “It was about politics. They turned our tragedy into a campaign.”
The allegations come amid relief efforts announced by the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency following attacks on Woro and neighbouring Nuku community.
In a statement signed by Atolagbe Seun, the agency said the intervention, coordinated by the state’s Committee on Woro and Nuku Attacks, was aimed at providing immediate support to affected households. It added that more than 550 households had benefited from the second phase of the distribution and that efforts were ongoing to ensure equitable access to relief materials.
However, survivors insist that security remains their primary concern.
“We are not begging for rice,” another displaced resident said. “We want protection. If security was provided, we would return to our farms and feed ourselves.”
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