Kwara Killings: PDP Demands Independent Probe, Security Summit

The Barr. Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the killing of about 86 people in Woro community, Kwara State, describing the attack as a tragic reminder of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

In a press statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the factional opposition party expressed deep sympathy with families of the victims and blamed what it called government’s inaction despite prior warnings of the attack.

“The sad and shocking news of the killing of about 170 people (as reported by Al Jazeera) by terrorists in Woro Community of Kwara State is another painful reminder of the new reality of heightened insecurity that Nigerians have been faced with under the Bola Tinubu APC Presidency,” the party said.

According to the PDP, community leaders had raised alerts about the impending attack months before it occurred, but no proactive steps were taken by authorities.

“The most painful part of this sad story is the fact that several community leaders have stated that the notice of this impending attack was available for months, without any meaningful proactive action from the Government, which makes the post-carnage military deployment weak, reactive, and irresponsible,” the statement read.

The party argued that deploying security forces after the attack could not undo the damage or heal the trauma inflicted on the affected community.

“The Presidential deployment of the military cannot bring back the killed people or erase the concomitant trauma imposed upon the community,” Ememobong stated.

In response to the incident, the PDP called for immediate steps to address both the tragedy and broader security challenges in the country.

The party demanded an independent investigation into the security lapses that led to the attack, including why early warnings were ignored, emergency relief for survivors, including humanitarian aid, medical care, and temporary shelter for displaced residents of Woro Community.

It also called for an emergency National Security Summit involving all relevant stakeholders, and strengthening of early warning systems, particularly community-based mechanisms to ensure timely response to credible threats.

The opposition party further urged the Federal Government to adopt what it described as a “whole-of-society approach” to tackling insecurity.

“This approach must include intelligence sharing between federal and state security agencies, commencement of State police, addressing the root causes of banditry and terrorism through economic development in affected regions, and regular security briefings on emerging threats,” the statement said.

The PDP criticised what it called the government’s “ad hoc and reactionary tactics,” warning that such measures had consistently failed.

“The Tinubu administration must be reminded that being reactionary has never been an effective strategy and cannot be relied on to solve complex problems,” it added.

The party also accused the Presidency of prioritising politics over governance.

“Undeniably, the Presidency is paying more attention to politics than to the execution of the primary mandate of government, which is the protection of lives and property,” the statement said.

“The blood of innocent Nigerians continues to cry out for justice and competent leadership. The time for excuses is over; the time for action is now.”