February 5, 2026 l By Dalena Reporters
ILORIN, Nigeria — Community leaders in parts of Kwara State have published serious allegations that violence which resulted in the deaths of about 170 civilians unfolded after repeated warnings to state authorities about the presence of armed militants were allegedly ignored, residents and traditional leaders said on Thursday.
In a statement distributed to national news organisations, a coalition of community representatives from affected areas said residents had observed suspicious armed elements “moving in the bushes and around farms” for several months prior to a wave of violence that erupted earlier this year. According to the statement, warnings sent to local government officials and security agencies went without adequate follow-up or preventative action.
“We reported what we saw men with weapons in the bushes near our farms, strange movements at night for months,” one community leader told Dalena Reporters. “But we were told everything was under control. Now more than a hundred of our people have been killed, property destroyed, and many are displaced.”
The communities said they first observed unusual activity late last year and repeatedly raised concerns with ward councillors, district security committees, and local police posts. They alleged that although officials sometimes acknowledged receipt of the reports, no substantial security reinforcement or investigation followed, leaving residents feeling vulnerable and unprotected.
Kwara State Government officials have acknowledged the gravity of the recent attacks in the state but have not publicly addressed the claim that advance warnings were ignored. In a brief statement earlier this week, the Kwara State Government confirmed that search and rescue operations were ongoing and that additional security forces had been deployed to restore calm, without directly responding to the allegation of unheeded community warnings.
Security analysts say that attacks by militant or criminal elements in rural Nigeria often follow patterns of early indicators such as unusual troop movements or local displacement that, if noticed early and communicated effectively, can enable pre-emptive action by authorities. In this case, analysts noted that prompt response to local alerts could have potentially limited the scale of the violence.
Local residents described the scale of the violence that eventually unfolded as devastating to families and livelihoods in several villages. The community representatives stated that the death toll of about 170 people includes farmers, traders and other civilians, and noted that the figure reflects both confirmed fatalities and individuals missing after the attacks. The estimate has not yet been independently verified by an official body.
In addition to loss of life, residents reported widespread destruction of homes, farmlands, and means of transportation, leading to urgent displacement and an acute need for humanitarian assistance. Several families have relocated to nearby towns and informal camps, citing fear of repeated assaults and lack of confidence in protective security presence.
Human rights advocates have called on the state and federal government to conduct a transparent investigation into both the attacks and the alleged neglect of early warnings. They urged that outcomes be used to strengthen early-warning mechanisms, enhance community–security cooperation, and improve rapid response systems in vulnerable rural areas.
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force in Kwara State said investigators are gathering evidence and speaking with community leaders as part of efforts to understand the sequence of events leading up to the violence. The official emphasised that security agencies are committed to restoring stability and bringing perpetrators to justice.
The unfolding situation has triggered renewed debate about rural security in Nigeria’s central and northern regions, where communities have periodically complained about limited protective coverage and slow law-enforcement response to early indicators of militant or criminal threats. Experts say strengthening grassroots reporting networks and ensuring timely action by authorities could help prevent future escalations.
As investigations continue, community leaders have vowed to pursue accountability and demand better protective measures in future, even as families begin the long process of recovery and rebuilding.