A large, joyous wedding ceremony had drawn crowds into the community, and a youth football tournament was underway, filling the streets with music and laughter. By 5 p.m., the festive atmosphere turned deadly when armed terrorists stormed the gathering, opening fire and causing chaos.
Three survivors—farmers Ibrahim Farouk and Joshua Deme, and miner Usman Bangoro—shared their accounts from their hospital beds in Ilorin. All three have lived in the area for 15 years and described how the attackers, described as “blood‑sucking terrorists,” unleashed a barrage of gunshots, forcing people to flee into nearby bushland. Many were hit as they tried to escape, and several homes and shops were set ablaze.
The survivors said the attack was sudden and indiscriminate, with no warning signs beyond the ordinary bustle of the wedding and tournament. Their testimonies highlight the vulnerability of rural gatherings to such violence and underscore the urgent need for increased security and humanitarian assistance in the region.