More than 80 per cent of residents displaced by the February 3 terrorists in Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have returned home, the village head, Alhaji Umar Bio Salihu, has said.

Salihu, however, said he was yet to relocate to the village because his palace, which was destroyed during the attack, has not been rebuilt.

Speaking with The Nation in Kaiama, the local government headquarters, the traditional ruler attributed the gradual return of residents to improved security and interventions by the Kwara State Government.

“Immediately after the attack, people fled the community. They ran for their lives. I was also advised to relocate because I was one of the major targets of the attackers. Fortunately, I have a house in Kaiama, and that is where I have remained since then,” he said.

“My palace, together with about six houses and 49 shops, was burnt down. Since I have no accommodation in the village, I only visit occasionally until the palace is rebuilt,” he added.

Salihu commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the prompt response to the crisis, saying that the governor approved funds for the reconstruction of his palace, a sum he said he had received.

“My palace will soon be rebuilt. The government has released funds to begin the project. I hope to commence the construction immediately after the Sallah celebrations. Within the next three or four weeks, I should be able to return permanently to the community,” he said.

The traditional ruler said the governor also constituted a seven-member committee to coordinate relief efforts and included him in the panel to ensure effective representation of the affected community.

He recalled that the governor intervened swiftly after the attack by providing relief materials, and ordering the fumigation of the village and providing new boreholes after existing water sources were destroyed.

“Immediately after the incident, the governor came to our aid. He ordered the fumigation of the entire village and provided new boreholes because all sources of potable water had been destroyed by the terrorists,” he said.

Describing the brutality of the attack, Salihu said some victims were locked inside a room, doused with petrol and burnt alive.

“The terrorists locked some residents inside a room, poured petrol on them and set it ablaze, burning them to ashes. Some of the victims were so badly burnt that there were virtually no remains to bury. The resulting stench spread across the village, prompting the government to carry out fumigation in the community,” he said.

He noted that enhanced security measures have helped restore confidence among residents.

“After the attack, the government strengthened security in and around the village. To this day, there is a strong presence of military personnel, mobile police officers and forest guards. As security improved, we encouraged our people to return.

“Those who had fled to New Bussa, Wawa and neighbouring communities gradually began coming back. Today, Alhamdulillah, more than 80 per cent of the people have returned.”

Salihu said support from organisations such as United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Red Cross and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), alongside government assistance, further encouraged displaced residents to return.

“If you visit Woro on a market day, especially on Sunday, you will see clear evidence that calm has returned to the village. People are returning and economic activities are gradually picking up again,” he said.

While expressing optimism that more residents would return in the coming months, he acknowledged that trauma and fear continue to prevent some families from going back.

“We may not achieve 100 per cent return immediately because some people are still traumatised. However, with the improved security situation and continued assistance from the state government, I believe everyone will eventually return,” he said.

Salihu further disclosed that the government has begun rebuilding some of the shops destroyed during the attack.

“A total of 49 shops were burnt. Reconstruction will be done in phases, beginning with the first 10 shops. This will help affected traders resume their businesses and rebuild their livelihoods,” he said.

The traditional ruler also called on the Federal Government to address security challenges around the vast forest areas bordering affected communities, describing the nearby national park as a haven for criminal elements.

He lamented that the forest reserve, which once served as an environmental and economic asset, has become a major security threat.

“Most communities located within the buffer zone of the national park are suffering because of their proximity to the forest. The park is extremely vast, covering hundreds of thousands of hectares, and has increasingly become a hideout for criminal groups.

“The park has largely lost its original value as a wildlife sanctuary. What we are suggesting in the long term is for the government to establish a permanent military formation, such as a barracks or an Air Force base, within the area, similar to what was done in Sambisa.

“That would help secure the area and prevent criminals from exploiting the forest as a safe haven,” he said. (The Nation)

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