Boko Haram Massacres 162 in Kwara State and Parades 176 Hostages in Chilling Video

Boko Haram Expands Into Western Nigeria, Slaughters 162 and Parades 176 Hostages in Kwara State

Boko Haram terrorists have opened a devastating new front in their war against Christians and civilians, launching a massive assault on villages in Kwara State, west central Nigeria, hundreds of miles from their traditional stronghold in the northeast.

On February 3, 2026, hundreds of armed militants attacked the villages of Woro and Nuku in Kaiama Local Government Area, killing at least 162 residents. The massacre was carried out after villagers refused to adopt the terrorists' extremist interpretation of Sharia law.

A Kwara State lawmaker told Reuters that the gunmen rounded up residents, bound their hands behind their backs, and executed them. Mass graves were dug to bury the dead, with one single grave holding 120 bodies. Homes and shops were razed, leaving twisted metal roofing and burned belongings littering the streets.

We don't have the strength or the resources to give each person a befitting burial.

The horror did not end with the massacre. On Valentine's Day, February 14, the terrorists released a propaganda video parading 176 abducted hostages, including women, children, and a nursing mother. In the footage, captives were forced to state where they were kidnapped from.

Security experts say the public parading of captives is part of Boko Haram's psychological warfare strategy, designed to amplify fear, undermine government authority, and project territorial reach into new regions.

President Bola Tinubu blamed Boko Haram and launched Operation Savanna Shield, deploying a military battalion to Kwara State. The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria issued a statement describing a "relentless wave of killings and kidnappings" and demanded the redeployment of security forces to besieged communities.

The town of Woro, once home to approximately 17,000 people, now has fewer than 200 residents remaining. Over 700 Plateau State indigenes were among those displaced. Pope Leo XIV expressed sorrow during his weekly Angelus address and urged Nigerian authorities to safeguard life.

Boko Haram Targets Christians in Expanding Campaign Across Nigeria's Middle Belt

The violence extends well beyond Kwara State. In just three days in early February, at least 51 people were abducted and six killed in coordinated assaults on four villages in Kaduna State's predominantly Christian southern districts. Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, parish priest of Holy Trinity Church in Karku, was attacked at his residence, with three people killed and 11 kidnapped including the priest.

Father Emanuel Ezema of the Zaria Diocese remains in captivity after being abducted with eight laypeople. Bishop Bulus Yohanna of Kontagora Diocese urged the establishment of a fully equipped military base in the region. Aid to the Church in Need has designated Nigeria as a priority country.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let me be absolutely clear about what is happening in Nigeria. Boko Haram, whose name literally means "Western learning is forbidden," is waging an extermination campaign against Christians and anyone who refuses to submit to their demonic ideology. They bound the hands of 162 people behind their backs and slaughtered them. They paraded 176 women and children like trophies in a propaganda video on Valentine's Day. This is pure evil.

Where is the international outrage? Where are the United Nations resolutions? Where are the candlelit vigils in Western capitals? If 162 Muslims had been massacred by Christians anywhere on earth, every newspaper, every news channel, and every government would be screaming for justice. But when Christians and innocents are slaughtered in Nigeria, the world shrugs. This selective silence is complicity. We must demand that our governments and institutions treat the genocide of Christians with the same urgency they give to every other crisis on earth.

Take Action

• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support persecuted Christians in Nigeria and across the world.
• Support Open Doors USA, which ranks Nigeria as one of the most dangerous countries for Christians.
• Give to Voice of the Martyrs to provide aid, Bibles, and support to Nigerian believers under fire.
• Contact your representatives in Congress and urge them to pressure the Nigerian government to protect Christian communities. Find your representative at house.gov.
• Pray specifically for the 176 hostages held by Boko Haram, for the displaced families of Woro, and for Father Nathaniel Asuwaye and Father Emanuel Ezema who remain in captivity.