By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has vowed to track down and bring to justice those responsible for the recent terrorist attack on Woro and neighbouring communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, which led to the loss of innocent lives.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, described the attack as cowardly and expressed profound shock over the killing of defenceless citizens.
Major General Uba said the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) mourns with families of the victims and commended the courage and resilience of the people of Woro and surrounding communities who stood firm against intimidation and rejected attempts by terrorists to impose violent ideological beliefs.
According to the DHQ, the terrorists had earlier approached the community with a request to conduct a preaching and indoctrination session, which was outrightly rejected by the villagers.
The military was immediately informed and troops were promptly deployed to dominate the area through robust patrols, surveillance and other security measures for about two weeks.
Despite these efforts, the terrorists later returned weeks after and carried out the deadly attack in retaliation, killing innocent residents in a bid to instil fear and destabilise the community.
The DHQ urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their commitment to the Constitution, individual beliefs and shared national values, stressing that unity and resilience remain the strongest defence against terrorism.
Major General Uba warned citizens against yielding to ideological indoctrination by violent extremist groups, noting that such groups thrive on fear, coercion and intimidation.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces to protect all Nigerians and called for sustained cooperation between citizens and security agencies to enhance intelligence gathering and community safety.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with other security agencies, are intensifying efforts to track down and bring to account those responsible for this dastardly act, as well as all terrorists operating within the country,”the DHQ stated.
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