Nigeria will send an army battalion to Kaiama district in Kwara state after jihadist fighters killed 170 people in attacks on two villages on Tuesday night. The gunmen attacked Woro and Nuku villages, shooting residents, burning homes, and looting shops. Video showed bodies lying in blood, some tied up. About 38 houses were destroyed, said Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, a local lawmaker. Residents said jihadists had urged villagers to reject the Nigerian state and accept sharia rule. When the villagers refused, the militants opened fire. No group has claimed the attacks. The President’s office condemned the attack as "cowardly" and said the military will lead Operation Savannah Shield to protect communities. Kaiama had little security before this. Nigeria is facing attacks from jihadists in the north-east and north-west, plus kidnappings and looting by armed “bandits.” Two Islamist groups linked to Islamic State operate here: ISWAP and the Islamic State Sahel Province, also called Lakurawa. Lakurawa grew more active after a 2023 military coup in neighboring Niger. Kwara borders Niger state, a hotspot of violence. The military claims successes in fighting these groups and recently began major operations in Kwara. In another attack on Tuesday, gunmen killed at least 13 people in Katsina state in north-west Nigeria.