No fewer than 75 residents were killed and several houses set ablaze when suspected terrorists attacked the Nuku and Woro communities in the Kaiama LGA of Kwara state.

Police spokesperson in Kwara state, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the attack on the communities began at about 6pm on Tuesday.

Ejire-Adeyemi said security agencies had since been deployed to the affected areas but noted that the number of casualties remained uncertain, while reports of missing persons are still being investigated.

Rauf Ajakaye, the chief press secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said that 75 residents were killed by the suspected terrorists during the attack.

He said the victims, who were moderate Muslims, were killed for “refusing to surrender to extremists who preached a strange doctrine”.

Ajakaye said the governor arrived in Kaiama on Wednesday night in the company of service chiefs and cabinet members to commiserate with the communities and assess the situation.

According to him, AbdulRazaq announced that President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate deployment of an army battalion to prosecute counter offensives codenamed ‘Operation Savannah Shield’ in the communities.

On Tuesday evening, the governor condemned the attack, describing it as a “cowardly assault on innocent civilians” in the two communities.

He said the incident was likely an attempt by terrorist groups to distract security agencies amid ongoing counterterrorism operations in parts of the state.

The attack comes amid renewed security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, with Washington confirming the deployment of a “small team” of troops to the country.

Dagvin Anderson, the general in charge of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), disclosed the development during a press briefing on Tuesday.

It marks the first public acknowledgement of US troops operating on Nigerian soil since the Donald Trump administration authorised missile strikes against terrorist targets in Sokoto on Christmas Day.

Bandit groups, long active in Nigeria’s north-west, have in recent years expanded their operations into states such as Kwara and neighbouring Niger.

Jihadist groups linked to a Boko Haram splinter faction have also carried out attacks in Kwara, frequently targeting markets and vigilante groups.

Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), has been hospitalised after he slumped on Tuesday outside his office, according to his media assistant, Emmanuel Nweke.

Nweke, in a statement, said Maina lost his balance while attempting to access the office, fell on the staircase, hit his head, and passed out.

The aide attributed the incident to complications arising from an untreated knee injury the former pension reform boss has reportedly been battling.

“The incident occurred following complications from an untreated knee injury, which caused him to lose balance and fall, resulting in his head hitting the staircase,” the statement said.

He explained that medical personnel at the scene promptly administered first aid before Maina was rushed to a private hospital in Abuja for urgent medical attention.

“Dr Maina is currently receiving close medical care and remains under observation,” Nweke added. “Following a preliminary medical assessment, one of the attending doctors advised that arrangements be considered for an air ambulance medical evacuation should his condition not stabilise within a short period.”

According to Nweke, Maina’s family and medical team are closely monitoring his condition and have appealed to the public for prayers, understanding, and respect for their privacy at this critical time.

Maina was recently released from the Kuje Correctional Centre, where he served a prison sentence after being convicted of pension fraud.

In November 2021, a federal high court in Abuja convicted him on charges bordering on money laundering involving more than ₦2 billion. He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in October 2019 and pleaded not guilty to a 12-count charge.

In his judgment, Justice Okon Abang held that Maina stole over ₦2 billion belonging to pensioners, “most of whom have died without reaping the fruits of their labour.”

The Court of Appeal, in May 2023, upheld both the conviction and the eight-year jail sentence. During proceedings at the trial court, Maina was at one point wheeled into the courtroom by two prison wardens, prompting the court to order the deputy comptroller of the Nigerian Correctional Service to personally examine him to determine the true state of his health.

Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, has praised the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a critical stabiliser of Nigeria’s energy system, amid the state-owned oil company’s challenges in operating its government-owned refineries and meeting domestic fuel demand.

Ojulari, who spoke during a fireside chat titled“Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future” at the Nigeria International Energy Summit 2026 on Wednesday in Abuja, said the existence of a functional local refinery provided NNPC with much-needed “breathing space” amid intense pressure to maintain fuel supply continuity.

He said the Dangote Refinery has been a major relief for Nigeria’s fuel supply, urging Nigerians to appreciate its impact regardless of personal views about its owner, noting that the plant’s operations had drawn applause from participants at the event.

“Thank God for Dangote Refinery. Thank God. Whether you love Dangote, you hate him, say whatever you want to say, Nigerians should thank God for Dangote,” Ojulari said, drawing applause from the audience.

According to him, the coming on stream of the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery marked a major relief for Nigeria at a time when legacy state-owned refineries were still struggling to deliver at scale.

Ojulari stressed that beyond capacity, the refinery’s local ownership was equally significant for national energy security.

“Thank God he’s a Nigerian. He’s not someone from another continent or another planet. Despite everything, that gave us an opportunity because we have a refinery that is working,” he said.

While acknowledging that the refinery does not yet meet Nigeria’s full domestic fuel demand, the NNPC boss said its operations have significantly reduced vulnerability in the supply chain.

“Yes, it may not meet our full needs, but it gives us a breathing space. And luckily, we are shareholders in that refinery as well,” he noted.

Ojulari’s remarks signal a notable shift from years of tension between NNPC and the Dangote Group, which had previously clashed over issues ranging from crude supply terms and regulatory approvals to pricing and market-dominance concerns.

Under past leadership, the relationship was often characterised by public disagreements and mutual suspicion, with Dangote accusing state institutions of frustrating the refinery project. At the same time, regulators insisted on enforcing market and quality standards.

However, Ojulari said the current NNPC leadership has adopted a more pragmatic approach anchored on collaboration rather than confrontation.

“So we said, what’s the hurry? We have a refinery that is working. It’s not owned by NNPC, but it’s a Nigerian refinery, built in Nigeria, working in Nigeria,” he said.

He disclosed that NNPC has since engaged directly with Dangote to develop a framework for cooperation aligned with the Petroleum Industry Act.

“Our strategy is to collaborate with the Dangote Refinery and maximise the value delivered to Nigerians. That was our first strategy. We had a meeting with Alhaji Dangote, explained our institutional responsibilities, and we agreed on the pathway towards deeper collaboration while maintaining our role as NNPC,” Ojulari explained.