How Boko Haram Used the Muslim Call-To-Prayer To Lure Residents To Their Death –Survivor Recounts Kwara Massacre

Woro Survivor Alleges Attackers Used Call to Prayer to Lure Victims

February 18, 2026 | News 

A survivor of the deadly attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State has described how suspected fighters linked to Boko Haram allegedly used religious tactics to draw residents out of their homes before launching a coordinated assault.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Magaji Woro said the attackers initially disguised their presence as religious preaching after entering the community, creating confusion among residents who believed the gathering was harmless.

“This incident started as preaching from the Boko Haram members immediately they entered our community,” he said.

According to him, the gunmen began assembling residents around 5pm and continued their operation until about 4am the following morning, during which no security personnel reportedly arrived.

“They began around 5pm in the evening and continued till 4am the next morning without any security operatives that came to our aid. They were killing people during these hours,” he alleged.

Alleged Use of Call to Prayer

The survivor claimed the attackers exploited familiar religious practices in the predominantly Muslim community, using the evening call to prayer to lure residents into open spaces.

“They asked people to come out and pray because it was already evening and people normally come out. They used the call to prayer to lure us out,” he said.

He further alleged that the attackers set houses ablaze and called on residents to help extinguish the fires, another tactic that exposed them to ambush.

“Immediately people came out to quench the fire, they started shooting,” he said.

Magaji Woro claimed that at least 176 people were abducted during the assault, while many others were killed. Independent verification of the figures has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

Community in Fear

Expressing frustration, the survivor said residents feel abandoned and vulnerable.

“We know it is only the government that can save us,” he said. “If the government helps us, good. If not, we believe it is God that can save us.”

The attack, which reportedly took place between February 3 and 4, has been described as one of the deadliest incidents in the area in recent years. Among those said to have been killed were two wives of the Emir of Woro, several of his children, the Chief Imam, a school principal, a headmistress and returning students.

Security sources have linked the assault to a faction of Boko Haram believed to have operational ties across the Sahel region.

Ongoing Relief Controversy

The fresh testimony comes amid continued criticism from displaced residents over the handling of humanitarian assistance.

Survivors from Woro, Baburasa and Wawa communities previously alleged that the distribution of rice and other relief materials was politicised and used to mobilise support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). They also accused the Vice Chairman of Kaiama Local Government of leading what they described as a politically motivated exercise. Authorities have not publicly responded to those specific allegations.

The Kwara State Emergency Management Agency has stated that more than 550 affected households received relief materials as part of efforts to cushion the impact of the violence and restore normalcy.

However, many survivors insist that security — not food aid — remains their primary demand.

“We are not begging for rice,” one displaced resident said. “We want protection. If security was provided, we would return to our farms and feed ourselves.”