Survivors of the deadly terrorist attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have accused government officials of politicising humanitarian relief by allegedly using food palliatives to mobilise support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), SaharaReporters has learnt.
On February 4, 2026, suspected terrorists launched a coordinated evening assault on Woro community, killing men, women and children indiscriminately in one of the deadliest attacks recorded in Kwara 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 was either abducted or killed during the attack.
Security sources linked the attackers to a Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction believed to maintain operational ties with Sahel-based terrorist networks.
Several displaced women and men from Woro, Baburasa and Wawa communities, who spoke during exclusive interviews with SaharaReporters on Monday and Tuesday, alleged that the distribution of rice and other relief materials was turned into a political exercise rather than genuine assistance for grieving victims.
The survivors, many of whom lost husbands, children, homes and businesses during the massacre, insisted that food was not their most urgent need.
“We are farmers. Food is not our problem,” one displaced woman told SaharaReporters. “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.”
According to the victims, the relief distribution carried out in the aftermath of the attack excluded many genuine residents who had already fled the community due to insecurity.
“Most of the people who collected the rice are not even from Woro,” another survivor 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.”
The residents further alleged that officials used the exercise to subtly campaign for the APC ahead of future elections in the area.
“All they talked about was support for APC and how people should vote,” a male survivor said. “It felt like they were rewarding party members instead of helping those who suffered.”
The victims specifically accused the Vice Chairman of Kaiama Local Government, Hajjia Abubakar Aishat Sadiq, of leading what they described as a politically motivated relief operation.
“It was not about our pain,” one of the women said. “It was about politics. They turned our tragedy into a campaign.”
The allegations come amid an ongoing relief effort announced by the Kwara State Government following the attacks on Woro and neighbouring Nuku community.
In a statement shared by the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency and signed by Atolagbe Seun, authorities said the government had commenced distribution of relief materials to affected residents as part of humanitarian intervention coordinated by the state’s Committee on Woro and Nuku Attacks.
According to the statement, “the intervention aims to provide immediate support to affected households and alleviate the impact of the violence on residents,” adding that the second phase of the exercise was already underway, with more than 550 households reportedly benefiting.
Officials also stated that relief materials were being distributed across affected communities to ensure equitable access while broader efforts to restore normalcy continue.
However, survivors who spoke with SaharaReporters disputed claims of fairness in the distribution process, insisting that political considerations overshadowed humanitarian concerns.
“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.”
