EXCLUSIVE: Woro Residents Accuse Kwara Government Of Using Rice Palliatives To Lure Survivors To APC After Boko Haram Massacre Of Over 200 Villagers
XCLUSIVE: Woro Residents Allege Politicisation of Relief After Deadly Attack
February 18, 2026 | News | Exclusive
Survivors of the recent terrorist attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have accused state officials of politicising humanitarian assistance by allegedly using food palliatives to mobilise support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
On February 4, 2026, suspected terrorists carried out a coordinated evening assault on Woro, killing men, women and children in one of the deadliest attacks recorded in the 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 students who had recently returned home. The Emir, Alhaji Saliu Bio Umar, was declared missing following the attack, amid fears that he may have been abducted or killed.
Security sources linked the attackers to a Sadiku-led faction of Boko Haram believed to have operational ties with terrorist networks in the Sahel region.
Allegations Over Relief Distribution
Displaced residents from Woro, Baburasa and Wawa communities, who spoke in separate interviews, alleged that the distribution of rice and other relief materials in the aftermath of the massacre was turned into a political exercise rather than a genuine humanitarian intervention.
Several survivors said many victims had fled the area due to insecurity and were unable to access the relief materials.
“We are farmers. Food is not our problem,” one displaced woman said. “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.”
Another resident alleged that individuals who were not from Woro benefitted from the distribution. “Most of the people who collected the rice are not even from Woro. Many real residents ran away after the killings. The distribution looked more like a political gathering than help for victims.”
Some survivors further claimed that the exercise was used to promote support 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 alleged. “It felt like they were rewarding party members instead of helping those who suffered.”
The residents specifically accused the Vice Chairman of Kaiama Local Government, Hajjia Abubakar Aishat Sadiq, of leading what they described as a politically motivated relief effort.
“It was not about our pain,” one displaced woman said. “They turned our tragedy into a campaign.”
Government Response
The allegations come amid relief efforts announced by the Kwara State Government following the attacks on Woro and neighbouring Nuku community.
In a statement issued by the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency and signed by Atolagbe Seun, authorities said the government had commenced the distribution of relief materials to affected residents as part of a 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 reduce the impact of the violence. Officials added that more than 550 households had benefitted so far, with a second phase of distribution already underway.
The government 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 disputed claims of fairness in the 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.”