The village chief of Woro in western Nigeria has shared the horrifying events of a recent attack in which armed militants stormed his community, killing many including two of his sons, and abducting his wife and three daughters.

Umar Bio Salihu, 53, who leads the predominantly Muslim community in Kwara State, described the moment the attackers arrived, saying they “just came in and began shooting” around 5pm on Tuesday.

“They burned all the roadside shops… Some people were burned alive inside their homes,” Salihu said. “Two of my sons were shot and killed right outside my house. The attackers took away my second wife along with my daughters. They’re currently being held in the bush.”

Salihu escaped by hiding and later fled to the nearby town of Kaiama after the assailants left. He recounted that the violence raged until about 3am the next morning. “When the sun came up, there were so many bodies,” he said.

Woro is a community of a few thousand residents, located near forested areas often used as hideouts by extremist fighters and armed gangs.

News reports broadcast grim video footage showing the aftermath in Woro and the nearby village of Nuku—bodies scattered in pools of blood, hands bound, and buildings engulfed in flames.

This was believed to be Nigeria’s deadliest single attack this year, with the Red Cross confirming that 162 people were killed and more bodies are still being found.

Salihu revealed that the attackers had earlier sent a message claiming they would come to deliver a religious sermon, then launched the assault when no villagers attended. Other residents said that jihadist preachers had long been urging locals to reject the Nigerian government in favor of sharia governance.

President Bola Tinubu has strongly condemned what he called a “barbaric assault,” sending army troops to the area and attributing blame to Boko Haram, although the name is often broadly used for various insurgent groups in Nigeria.

According to Amnesty International in Nigeria, the attack represents “a major breakdown in security,” and is one of many violent incidents involving jihadists and armed groups across the country. Nigeria continues to battle a militant insurgency in the north-east and north-west, alongside an alarming rise in kidnappings and looting in other parts of the north.

Security analysts warn that Kwara may become a new center of activity for these groups. James Barnett, a researcher at the Hudson Institute in Washington, suggested that competition in traditional strongholds has forced militants to seek new territories.

Several jihadist groups operate in Nigeria, including factions linked to Islamic State—the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), an offshoot of Boko Haram, and the Islamic State Sahel Province, also known locally as Lakurawa.

Officials have stated that the Lakurawa group originated in neighboring Niger and became more active in Nigerian border areas following a 2023 military coup in Niger. Kwara shares a boundary with Niger State, which has seen increased attacks and mass abductions by armed groups like ISWAP.

Security issues in Nigeria have gained renewed international attention, with former U.S. President Donald Trump previously claiming there was a targeted campaign against Christians in the country. Nigerian authorities and independent observers have denied this, saying violence affects both Christians and Muslims indiscriminately.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, unknown gunmen killed at least 13 people in Doma village in Katsina State, located in the country’s northwest, according to police sources.

This report includes information from multiple international news agencies.