A security expert, Salihu Dantata, has alleged that the casualty figures from the recent violent attack in Kwara State are far higher than the numbers released by government authorities, raising fresh concerns over the scale of the tragedy.
Dantata made the claim on Thursday during an appearance on Arise Television, where he expressed frustration over what he described as a delayed response to distress calls from residents of the affected local government area.
According to him, locals had begun transmitting information about the unfolding attack while it was still ongoing, but security intervention did not arrive in time to prevent heavy loss of life. He lamented that many victims were killed before help eventually came.
The security expert explained that the affected communities had only recently emerged from threats linked to the Mamuda terrorist invasion, noting that the same axis, alongside neighbouring Baruto Local Government Area, had earlier been warned by the attackers not to return to farming activities during the planting season.
He stressed that the situation reflects a troubling pattern of insecurity in the area, where residents remain vulnerable despite previous warnings and intelligence signals.
Dantata further claimed that unofficial updates from the communities suggest the number of casualties may have risen significantly, putting the death toll at about 300. He maintained that the figures being made public do not fully capture the magnitude of the incident.
