176 Women and Children Freed After Six Months in Captivity as Kwara Government Confirms Release
The Kwara State Government has confirmed the release of 176 women and children abducted from Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, after approximately six months in captivity. Credited to the efforts of the Federal Government and security forces, this development brings significant relief following a deadly terrorist attack in February 2024 that claimed numerous lives.
Relief swept across Kwara State on Wednesday after the government confirmed the release of 176 women and children abducted from Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area nearly six months ago.
Announcing the development, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's media aide, Olayinka Fafoluyi, described the rescue as a major breakthrough, thanking President Bola Tinubu, security agencies and everyone involved in securing the victims' freedom.
"We are grateful," Fafoluyi wrote in a post shared on Facebook, celebrating the end of months of uncertainty for the affected families.
Authorities, however, have not disclosed how the victims were freed or whether any ransom was paid.
Kaiama Local Government Chairman and Kwara ALGON Chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi Danladi, confirmed that the released victims were being received at the Wawa Military Cantonment in neighbouring Niger State before being transported back to Kwara.
Danladi thanked the Federal Government and security agencies for their efforts, adding that arrangements were already underway to return the victims to Ilorin.
The development was also welcomed by Saidu Baba Ahmed, the lawmaker representing Gwanabe/Gweria/Bani/Adena Constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly.
"I'm very, very excited about this development. We give thanks to President Bola Tinubu, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and our security operatives," he said.
However, the Kwara State Police Command said it was yet to receive official confirmation of the release.
Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi told journalists he had contacted authorities in Kaiama but had not obtained verified information.
"I am not aware, so I cannot confirm it. I made contacts to Kaiama Local Government; still, I couldn't get concrete information," he said.
The victims were kidnapped during a deadly attack on Woro community on February 3, 2024, when heavily armed gunmen stormed the area.
The assault left scores of residents dead, with local sources estimating between 162 and 170 fatalities, while the Nigerian Red Cross Society put the death toll at about 200. More than 170 women and children were also abducted, making it one of the deadliest attacks recorded in Kwara State in recent years.
The violence forced many residents to flee their homes and renewed concerns over worsening insecurity in parts of Kwara and neighbouring states.
The return of the victims marks a significant breakthrough for affected families, although questions remain over the circumstances surrounding their release and the broader security challenges facing communities across the region.