The Universal Friendship Organisation (UFO) Ghana has condemned the recent terrorist attacks on the villages of Woro and Nuku in Kwara State, Nigeria, which left at least 162 people dead. The attacks, attributed to the Lakurawa group linked to the Islamic State, have drawn renewed attention to the growing threat posed by extremist violence to rural communities in Nigeria and the wider West African region.
In a statement released in Accra on 5th February 2026, the President of the Universal Friendship Organisation Ghana, Samuel Adobah, alongside the organisation’s Global Policy Analyst, Richil Mawuenyega, expressed deep concern over the scale of the violence and the continued loss of innocent lives in Nigeria. The organization conveyed condolences to the affected families and reaffirmed its’ solidarity with the Nigerian government and people in their efforts to restore peace and security.
UFO Ghana also highlighted broader governance challenges contributing to instability across Africa, pointing to exclusionary political practices often described as a winner-takes-all system. According to the organisation, such approaches to governance have fuelled grievances, weakened social cohesion and undermined long-term development, making communities more vulnerable to conflict and extremist recruitment.
The organization further identified corruption as a major driver of insecurity, stressing that weak accountability and poor governance continue to erode public trust and state capacity. It called on African leaders to treat governance as an ongoing responsibility, with greater emphasis on transparency, inclusion and the protection of citizens.
Expressing disappointment over the recurring displacement of communities and destruction of property in Nigeria and elsewhere on the continent, UFO Ghana urged the international community to provide stronger support for Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts. The organisation emphasised the need for coordinated assistance, including humanitarian aid, technical support and capacity building.
UFO Ghana also condemned the use of violence by any group to pursue political or social demands, urging peaceful engagement and dialogue as the only acceptable means of resolving grievances.
Among its’ recommendations, the organization called for closer collaboration between ECOWAS and the African Union to address regional security challenges through a collective framework. It also urged governments in the sub-region to strengthen community-based security systems and encouraged Nigeria to intensify its’ cybersecurity efforts to counter online radicalisation and emerging cyber-related terrorist threats.
