Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The families of 176 residents abducted from Woro and Nuku communities in Kwara State have made an agonising appeal to the Federal and State Governments, after terrorists allegedly rejected a N155 million ransom raised through community contributions and threatened to force female captives into marriage while killing the remaining hostages. Nearly six months after the attack, the victims remain in captivity, and their relatives say they have exhausted every option available to secure their release.
The mass abduction occurred on February 3, 2026, when more than 100 heavily armed assailants, dressed in military-style uniforms and riding motorcycles, invaded Woro and neighbouring Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. The attackers killed over 260 people, burnt more than 30 houses, and carted away 176 residents, making it one of the deadliest mass attacks recorded in recent years. The attack was reportedly triggered after residents rejected attempts by the armed group to establish an extremist religious presence in the area.
Speaking on behalf of the affected families in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Alhaji Abdul Ibrahim, a native of Kaiama, said he personally lost 10 relatives and still has 35 family members in captivity. According to him, the community mobilised over N155 million through community crowdfunding after the kidnappers demanded a ransom. “We raised N155 million and took it to them, but they refused to accept it, saying it was not enough,” Ibrahim said. “We returned with the money and have not heard from our relatives since. We appeal to the Federal Government and the Kwara State Government to rescue them because there is nothing more we can do”.
The situation has since deteriorated further. Ibrahim alleged that the terrorists had threatened to forcibly marry the “beautiful” female captives while executing the remaining hostages if their demands were not met. “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,” he said.
Community leaders have also expressed frustration that while security forces successfully rescued abductees in a separate incident in neighbouring Oyo State, those taken from Woro have remained in captivity for six months, leaving families feeling abandoned. The Dan Sardaukin Kaiama, Suleiman Bukata, urged the Federal Government and security agencies to replicate the Oyo operation in Kaiama. “The successful rescue of the Oyo victims had rekindled hope among families in Kaiama, stressing that the people deserved the same level of commitment and protection from the authorities,” he said. He warned that every additional day in captivity exposed the victims to greater danger and hardship.
The attack on Woro has also drawn the attention of lawmakers. Hon. Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, who represents the area in the Kwara State House of Assembly, has appealed to the Federal Government to intensify efforts to rescue the captives, saying the prolonged silence over their fate had deepened the suffering of affected families. Meanwhile, Senator Adamu Aliero described the worsening security situation in northern Nigeria as a major concern but argued that inadequate funding was not responsible for the persistent wave of terrorist attacks, noting that the National Assembly had consistently approved budgetary requests from security agencies. He reiterated his support for the establishment of state police as a more effective local response to security threats.
The Woro abduction is one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria's recent history, and the rejection of the N155 million ransom—raised through the sale of personal belongings, savings, and community-wide fundraising—has left hundreds of families in limbo, uncertain whether their relatives will ever return home. Residents have also staged peaceful protests to draw attention to the plight of the abductees, but they say these efforts have failed to attract the desired intervention.
As the six-month mark approaches, the families of the 176 abductees are running out of options. Their appeal to the government is desperate and urgent: they want the same decisive action that brought the Oyo schoolchildren home. But for now, the fate of their loved ones hangs in the balance—trapped in terrorist camps, threatened with forced marriage or death, and waiting for a rescue that may never come.
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