Massive Victory: 176 Kwara Kidnap Victims Freed After 6-Month Ordeal!
No fewer than 176 residents abducted from Kwara State's Woro and Nuku communities in February have been freed after nearly six months in captivity. The Kwara State Government announced the rescue, thanking President Tinubu and security forces, though details of the operation remain undisclosed. This relief follows months of protests and failed ransom negotiations, as terrorists had previously rejected ₦155 million and made threats against the captives.
No fewer than 176 residents, including women and children, who were abducted during a terrorist invasion of the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on February 3, have finally regained their freedom. This significant development brings an end to nearly six months of intense anguish for their families and communities. The Kwara State Government officially announced the release on Wednesday via its Facebook page, hailing it as a major breakthrough. The government extended its gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, security agencies, and all individuals who played a role in the successful operation, stating, "Alhamdulillaah and kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, security forces, and everyone who played a role in this huge feat. We are grateful!"
While authorities have yet to disclose the specific details of the rescue operation, multiple community sources provided insights into the events leading to the victims' freedom. Residents reported seeing security personnel, backed by military hardware, moving into the forest earlier on the day of the release. Aliyu Umar, a resident and member of the community negotiating team, conveyed reports suggesting the Federal Government had mounted a rescue operation, with people in nearby Wawa observing several long vehicles escorted by Army armoured tanks heading into the forest. Information circulating within the communities indicated that the captives had been handed over to government officials. The Village Head of Woro, Alhaji Salihu Umar, corroborated these accounts, mentioning sightings of buses, Army gun trucks, and other security vehicles en route to the area to receive the victims. Dr. Abdul Ibrahim, a prominent figure in community efforts, confirmed the release but noted that the exact circumstances, including whether any negotiation or ransom was involved, remained unclear.
The release marks a dramatic turnaround following months of uncertainty, which had triggered protests, appeals, and desperate negotiations by the affected families. Just days before the release, hundreds of residents, including youths and women, staged a peaceful protest in Kaiama, demanding urgent government intervention after the captives had spent 171 days in terrorist custody. They called for intensified rescue efforts and stronger security around communities bordering the Kainji Lake National Park, which they identified as a major criminal hideout. This development also comes shortly after families disclosed that over ₦155 million, meticulously raised through community donations, personal savings, and the sale of valuables, had been rejected by the terrorists. At that time, Dr. Abdul Ibrahim reported that the kidnappers refused the money, insisting on direct negotiations with the governments of Kwara and Niger states, as many of the captives hailed from both regions.
Adding to the families' distress, the abductors had allegedly threatened to kill some victims and force female captives into marriage. The terrorists had also publicly accused the Kwara State government of deliberately misleading the public regarding the actual number of abductees. A previous report by SaharaReporters had highlighted a disturbing video released by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, formally known as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, in which they paraded 176 abducted victims, including women, children, and a nursing mother. In this footage, a terrorist interrogated captives, who confirmed in Hausa that they were abducted from Woro community. The video depicted dozens of distressed women and children, many in worn clothes, underscoring the harsh conditions of their captivity. The terrorist in the video explicitly claimed that the state government lied by reporting only 20 to 30 kidnappings, asserting the true number was 176.
The initial abduction on February 3 was part of a coordinated terrorist assault on Woro and neighboring Nuku communities. This attack resulted in hundreds of deaths, displaced numerous families, and destroyed homes and public infrastructure, sparking national outrage. In response, President Tinubu had previously ordered reinforced military deployments and intensified security operations in Kaiama and its adjoining communities to address the escalating crisis.