Kwara, Katsina Bloodshed: TMC Condemns Attacks, Dismisses ‘Jihadist Preacher’ Claims

Kwara, Katsina Bloodshed: TMC Condemns Attacks, Dismisses ‘Jihadist Preacher’ Claims

The national headquarters of The Muslim Congress (TMC) has strongly condemned the recent coordinated attacks in Kwara State and Katsina State that left more than 200 people dead, describing the incidents as a troubling sign of the growing normalisation of mass killings in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Amir, AbdulWasi’i Bangbala, the organisation said the scale and brutality of the attacks represent a dangerous escalation of insecurity across parts of the country.

According to reports, the worst of the attacks occurred in Woro community, Kwara State, where at least 170 people were reportedly killed in what TMC described as a methodical and coordinated assault that virtually wiped out the community. Homes and properties were destroyed, leaving survivors traumatised and displaced. In a related attack in Katsina State, no fewer than 21 residents were killed inside their homes, further compounding fears over worsening security challenges in northern Nigeria. TMC stressed that the victims were not mere statistics but families, breadwinners and entire communities whose futures were violently cut short.

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The group acknowledged and commended President Bola Tinubu for his swift condemnation of the attacks and the immediate deployment of an army battalion to the affected areas. Bangbala noted that the response aligns with the administration’s broader national security measures, including intensified security operations and increased police recruitment aimed at stabilising troubled regions. However, he emphasised that the magnitude of the killings demands more than reactive interventions.

TMC called for a strengthened national security architecture, urging the federal government to prioritise improved intelligence gathering, faster emergency response mechanisms, clear performance benchmarks for security agencies and enhanced protection for vulnerable rural communities. The organisation maintained that repeated cycles of violence require proactive and systemic reforms rather than periodic condemnations.

The organisation also rejected claims portraying the attackers as “jihadist preachers,” describing the Kwara incident as a calculated act of terrorism rather than a religious mission. Bangbala argued that the military-style coordination of the assault, the siege of the village and prior alerts reportedly sent to security agencies point to a premeditated massacre. According to him, the narrative of “preaching” appears to have been used as a cover for violence against civilians.

TMC further expressed concern over what it described as a muted response to the killings from sections of the international community, parts of the mainstream media and some religious organisations. The group said the limited global attention contrasts sharply with reactions to similar tragedies elsewhere, raising questions about selective outrage and unequal valuation of human lives.

Describing repeated calls for government action as “exhausting and heartbreaking,” TMC stated that Nigerians deserve sustained and effective protection rather than periodic condolences after mass killings. The organisation urged citizens to unite against insecurity, stressing that violence threatens all Nigerians regardless of religion, ethnicity or background.

Bangbala called on the federal government to treat the Kwara and Katsina killings as a decisive turning point by adopting a comprehensive strategy that tackles not only violent extremism but also its root causes, including poverty, limited access to education and systemic injustice. He concluded that only a holistic and sustained approach can guarantee lasting peace and prevent further loss of lives in Nigeria.

Kwara, Katsina Bloodshed: TMC Condemns Attacks, Dismisses ‘Jihadist Preacher’ Claims