The Turkish government has expressed deep sadness and condemned the brutal bandit attacks on villages in Kwara State that claimed scores of lives, pledging continued support to Nigeria in its fight against terrorism.
In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the Turkish government reacted to Tuesday’s assault, which Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said resulted from villagers refusing to “surrender to extremists who preached a strange doctrine.”
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives caused by the terrorist attack that took place in Kwara State, Nigeria,” the statement read. “We strongly condemned the heinous attack and extend condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to the people of Nigeria.”
The statement concluded with a pledge: “Turkey will continue to support Nigeria in its fight against terrorism.”
While Governor AbdulRazaq confirmed 75 deaths, a state lawmaker told the BBC that at least 78 people had been buried, with the toll potentially rising to 170 as more bodies were recovered from the bush.
President Bola Tinubu blamed the Islamist militant group Boko Haram for the killings and ordered the immediate deployment of an army battalion to the affected area under a new counter-offensive operation.
The expression of solidarity from Turkey highlights the international dimension of Nigeria's security crisis and underscores growing concern over the spread of extremist violence from the northeast into north-central states like Kwara.
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