What to know about latest attacks in Nigeria that killed over 160 people

Gunmen killed scores of people during an attack on two villages in Western Nigeria in one of the deadliest assaults in the West African country in recent months.

The attack on Tuesday evening targeted the neighboring villages of Woro and Nuku, in Kwara state.

A lawmaker who represents the area said that at least 162 people were killed, while Amnesty International said the gunmen killed over 170 people, razed homes and looted shops. The rights group deplored “a stunning security failure.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the Tuesday attacks.

Here’s what to know about the latest deadly attack

Mohammed Omar Bio, the area's representative in parliament, said the attacks were carried out by the Lakurawa terrorists.

James Barnett, a researcher at the Washington-based Hudson Institute, said the attack was more likely carried out by a Boko Haram-affiliated faction that has been responsible for other recent deadly attacks in the area.

Kwara State Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said Tuesday’s attack was likely carried out in response to recent counter-terrorism operations in the region.

AbdulRazaq said the attack was an attempt to distract security forces “who have successfully hunted down several terrorist and kidnapping gangs across many parts of the state.”

The attacks came days after the United States took military action against armed groups in Nigeria.

On Tuesday, the head of U.S. Africa Command said the United States had sent a small team of military officers to Nigeria. Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson said the deployment came at Nigeria's request and was focused on intelligence support.

US criticisms

Nigeria has been in the diplomatic crosshairs of the U.S. in recent months following threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to attack the country, alleging it is not doing enough to protect its Christian citizens.

While Christians have been among those targeted, analysts say the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur.

But diplomatic tensions have since been replaced by cooperation between the two countries. In December, U.S. forces launched airstrikes on terrorist locations in northern Nigeria.

Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis, including terrorist attacks and a surge in kidnappings for ransom by criminal gangs.

Security crisis

For years, so-called “bandits” have mainly been active in northwestern Nigeria, but they have recently been moving to other parts of the country, including Kwara State.

Terrorists have also been increasingly active in Kwara, as decades-long attacks, which until recently mostly affected northeastern Nigeria, have spilled over to western and central regions.

The most notorious are the homegrown Boko Haram terrorists, who took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education. Boko Haram killed at least 36 people in northeastern Nigeria last week during separate attacks.

Other extremist armed groups in Nigeria also include at least two affiliated with Daesh terrorists and another terror group known locally as Lakurawa, which is mostly prominent in the northwest.

Last month, Nigeria’s government said the U.S. has pledged to deliver outstanding military equipment purchased by the country over the past five years, including drones and helicopters. Some of the equipment was delayed in recent years over concerns about possible human rights abuses by Nigeria’s security forces.