CHRICED Condemns Kwara Killings, Warns Nigeria Sliding Toward Failed State
Abuja, February 8, 2026
The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has strongly condemned the killing of at least 162 residents in Woro and Nuku villages of Kwara State, describing the incident as a massacre and warning that Nigeria is drifting toward state failure due to worsening insecurity.
In a press statement signed by Comrade Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, Executive Director, CHRICED alleged that the February 3 attack was carried out by members of the Islamist sect Lakurawa, who reportedly invaded the communities in the afternoon and operated for several hours without resistance.
The organisation said entire villages were razed, families displaced, and dozens of lives lost before security forces arrived.
According to eyewitness accounts cited by CHRICED, the attackers began their assault around 3 p.m. and continued through the night into the following day.
The rights group expressed concern that no meaningful intervention came from the military, police, the Department of State Services (DSS), or any other security agency until after the violence had ended.
CHRICED blamed the federal government for what it described as the persistent collapse of Nigeria’s security architecture, arguing that authorities have continued to respond only after attacks occur rather than preventing them.
“The repeated failure to protect rural communities or dismantle violent networks has allowed terrorists and bandits to dictate the tempo of national security,” the statement said.
The organisation also accused the Kwara State Government of attempting to downplay the scale of the killings by putting the death toll at 75, a figure it said contradicts reports from affected communities confirming more than 162 fatalities.
CHRICED warned that understating casualties undermines public trust and dishonours victims.
Drawing parallels with other incidents, the group recalled a 2025 attack in Kebbi State, where bandits abducted students and killed a vice principal at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, following the alleged withdrawal of military personnel from the area.
It noted that the military has yet to publicly release findings from its investigation into that incident.
CHRICED also referenced the November 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, as well as coordinated assaults on churches in Kajuru, Kaduna State, which authorities initially denied before later confirming.
According to the organisation, the recurring nature of such attacks points to systemic weaknesses, operational negligence, or possible internal sabotage within Nigeria’s security system.
The rights group further warned that state authority is eroding in parts of northern Nigeria, where residents are reportedly paying levies to armed groups for protection due to lack of confidence in government security.
“This inversion of legitimacy is a classic indicator of state fragility,” CHRICED said, describing the trend as alarming for a country of Nigeria’s size and regional influence.
CHRICED also criticised ongoing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, arguing that political maneuvering has continued despite daily reports of killings across the country.
“The prioritisation of political ambition over human life is a moral failure,” the organisation stated.
The group called for urgent reforms, including an independent investigation into the Kwara killings, comprehensive security sector reform, improved inter-agency coordination, and a shift toward intelligence-driven prevention of attacks. It also demanded compensation, trauma support, and reconstruction for affected communities.
CHRICED urged the media to sustain investigative reporting, called on civil society groups to intensify advocacy, and appealed to religious and traditional leaders to speak out consistently against extremism.
