President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State following a deadly overnight attack by Boko Haram terrorists on villagers in Worro.
The President said the newly deployed military unit will spearhead Operation Savannah Shield, aimed at checking the activities of the terrorists and protecting defenceless communities in the area. The directive was contained in a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Condemning the attack, President Tinubu described the assailants as cowardly, beastly and heartless, accusing them of deliberately targeting soft and defenceless civilians in what he described as a doomed campaign of terror.
He expressed outrage that the attackers killed community members who had rejected their attempt at indoctrination, noting that the victims chose to practise Islam that is neither extreme nor violent.
Commending the stance of the villagers, the President said it was admirable that the community members, despite being Muslims, refused to be conscripted into what he described as a weird belief system that promotes violence over peace and dialogue.
President Tinubu also called for close collaboration between federal and state agencies to provide succour to the affected community and to ensure that those responsible for the attack do not escape justice.
He prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and condoled with families who lost loved ones, as well as with the people and government of Kwara State.
