Families of 176 people abducted from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have raised a fresh alarm after the terrorists holding them allegedly threatened to force some female captives into marriage and kill the remaining hostages.
The victims, comprising men, women and children, have spent nearly six months in captivity since they were seized during the February 3, 2026, terrorist attack on Woro and neighbouring communities.
Speaking during an interview, a Kaiama resident, Abdul Ibrahim, said the abductors threatened to marry the “beautiful” female captives and kill the others if their demands were not met. He said the affected communities had exhausted almost every option available to them, including raising more than N155 million through crowdfunding in an attempt to negotiate the victims’ freedom.
The terrorists, however, allegedly rejected the money, leaving the captives stranded in undisclosed forest camps and their relatives uncertain about their condition. “We have done everything within our means. The money was raised, yet our people have not been released. Their suffering continues, and families are living in agony,” Ibrahim said.
He appealed to the Federal Government, the Kwara State Government and security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering and launch an operation capable of bringing the victims home safely.
The latest appeal followed a protest by Kaiama residents on Friday, July 24, during which families marched through the town demanding urgent federal intervention. Community leaders said they had received no meaningful official update on the captives’ whereabouts after more than 170 days.
Suleiman Buƙata, the Ɗan Sardaukin Kaiama, urged security agencies to replicate the intelligence-led operation that recently secured the release of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire local government area of Oyo State. Recall that the Oyo victims regained their freedom on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity.
Buƙata said the rescue had renewed hope among Woro families, arguing that the 176 captives deserved the same urgency and commitment from the authorities.
Senator Adamu Aliero also called for the establishment of state police, maintaining that governors should have constitutionally recognised local security structures capable of responding quickly to threats within their states. He said the National Assembly had consistently approved security funding, but the persistence of terrorism demonstrated the complexity of the crisis rather than a lack of budgetary support.
Recall that the captives were taken during the February 3 attack on Woro and Nuku, one of Nigeria’s deadliest terrorist assaults in recent years, in which varying accounts placed the death toll at between 162 and more than 170. Tinubu subsequently ordered an army battalion into Kaiama, while the government announced ‘Operation Savannah Shield’ to secure the area. Nearly six months later, however, 176 residents remain missing, despite searches, negotiations and repeated community protests.
Reports suggest the kidnappers are demanding more than ₦2 billion, and may have moved the captives outside Kwara State, deepening fears that the initial military deployment has yet to produce the rescue families were promised.
