By Muyideen Aliyu, llorin

No fewer than 75 persons have been reported killed and about five abducted as more facts have emerged from the attack on Woro community in Kwara on Tuesday evening.

Younger Brother to the Traditional Ruler of Ki Woro, Mr Umar Ali, made this known in an interview with NewsDirect on Wednesday.

According to Umar, the attackers invaded the community around 5:00p.m arriving on motorcycles and surrounding the town before opening fire from different directions.

“They came around 5:00 p.m. and completely surrounded the community and started shooting sporadically from all angles, so nobody could escape,” he said.

He explained that residents who attempted to flee were shot, while those who surrendered were gathered at the palace of the village head, where they were tied up and killed.

According to him, some victims were burnt alive inside shops and houses after the attackers locked them in and set the buildings ablaze.

“We physically counted 75 corpses within the town, but people are suggesting the number of those abducted, especially women, could be over 100,” he added.

He further said that the wife of the traditional ruler, Hauwa Umar, his mother and three of his children were among those abducted during the attack.

“The chief’s wife, his mother and three of his children are missing. That makes five people from his household unaccounted for,” he added.

Ali narrated further that the community was thrown into panic, with many residents fleeing their homes, leaving the town almost deserted.

“The people are scared and the community is nearly empty. What we need now is increased security presence to restore confidence and allow people to return,” he said.

He noted that there had been prior intelligence reports of a possible attack, which were reportedly communicated to the local government authorities and shared with higher levels of government.

He added that soldiers had earlier patrolled the area on a day the attackers were suspected to strike, which he believed discouraged them at the stime.

However, Ali said there was no security presence during Tuesday’s attack, and that security operatives only arrived after many victims had died from gunshot wounds due to lack of immediate medical attention.

“The injured were later taken to the General Hospital, but some were referred to the Teaching Hospital,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said top government and security officials, including the Brigade Commander, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Chief of Staff and the member representing the constituency in the State House of Assembly, had visited Woro to assess the situations.

The State Governor had earlier condemned the attack describing it as a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following the ongoing counter-terrorism campaigns in parts of the state and the successes so far recorded.

AbdulRazaq expressed heartfelt condolences to Woro and Nuku communities on the sad incident, especially the families affected in the Tuesday attack.