Despite reports that the Nigerian Army and security forces have taken over the Woro and Nuku communities in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, following a brutal attack by terrorist groups, Kaiama town in Kwara State was thrown into chaos on Thursday evening as panic gripped the popular Kara cattle market following reports of suspected terrorists entering the area, SaharaReporters has learnt.
According to Sahara Reporters, the incident comes barely 48 hours after a massacre in the community reportedly claimed the lives of at least 162 people, which heightened fears among residents.
Multiple sources from Kaiama told SaharaReporters that the market, usually a hub of trade and social activities, was crowded when strangers, believed to be armed, suddenly appeared, sparking widespread alarm.
One resident, who spoke to SaharaReporters, said: “That market was filled to the brim, people were doing their normal business. Suddenly, some unknown faces entered the market, inside Kara. People said they were armed. Personally, I did not see them because I was in the section where they were selling foodstuffs when the news spread, so people started running for their lives.
“Even me, I had to leave some foodstuffs I bought for my business inside the market because it was very intense and there was panic everywhere. There was a huge stampede.”
The source expressed frustration over the government’s response, accusing security operatives of failing to provide meaningful protection.
“It is true that the government brought some soldiers, but what have they done? They are only moving around the streets with their vans. No serious security up till now. A lot of unknown faces entered Kaiama yesterday (Thursday) because of the markets and these soldiers could not even stop them,” the resident said.
SaharaReporters also obtained videos circulating on social media, showing tense situation after the bandit scare.
One video, posted by a TikTok user identified as Abiola, was captioned: “Now in Kaiama, bandits are now our president because we are fearing them like they are our God because of death. In the market again today (Thursday), we are hearing that they entered the market and everyone ran away.”
Another clip, also from Abiola, was captioned: “See how Kaiama Kwara state Kara market scattered today because of bandits and we did not see them but we all ran away because of them. May God save us.”
The latest episode of terror adds to growing fears in the area after a reported massacre just a day earlier left about 170 people dead.
Residents told SaharaReporters that prior to the attacks, local youths and community leaders had repeatedly alerted traditional authorities, local government officials, and the Kwara State Government about suspicious movements of armed men and their presence in forests surrounding Kaiama, but no decisive action was taken.
“There were warnings from the youth. They saw unfamiliar armed men camping in bushes near our communities. They reported to the local government and the traditional leaders, but nobody acted. Now the whole town is in fear,” a resident said.
Despite the deployment of soldiers to the town, locals continue to question the effectiveness of the security presence, describing it as largely symbolic.
Traders at the Kara market told SaharaReporters that the soldiers only patrol streets in vans, leaving marketplaces vulnerable to intrusions.
Efforts to obtain official comments from the Nigerian Army and the Kwara State government regarding Thursday’s incident proved unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. Both the Army Spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Anele Onyinyechi Appolonia, and the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, did not respond to messages seeking their reactions.
