Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Twenty‑five children who were among the 336 persons kidnapped by terrorists in Kebbi, Kwara and Niger states died in captivity and were buried in the forest, a Kwara State lawmaker has revealed, as 315 victims regained their freedom after spending six months in the hands of their abductors. The lawmaker representing Gwanabe/Gweria/Bani/Adena state constituency of Kaiama local government in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Saidu Baba‑Ahmed, made the disclosure on Friday, August 7, 2026, during an interview with Saturday Vanguard, providing a harrowing account of the conditions endured by the victims.
According to the lawmaker, the terrorists asked the youths among the abductees who would like to join their army, and 12 of them volunteered and were not among those released. The figure of 315 rescued victims comprises 308 victims rescued from terrorist captivity in the forests of Kwara and Niger states, and seven students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade in Ogun State who were abducted last week. A total of 176 victims were kidnapped from Kwara State, and 163 regained their freedom, while 15 of the victims are still missing.
Baba‑Ahmed also disclosed that two women who were abducted while pregnant came back with two babies. "We checked them properly and discovered that none of them is pregnant, because they told us that their abductors didn't touch them. But two women who were abducted with pregnancy came back with two babies," he said. The lawmaker said that those who were set free arrived in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, and 46 of them were receiving medical attention at the hospital. He also said that the state government was taking care of them to ascertain their state of health before reuniting them with their families. The lawmaker commended the state and federal governments for their efforts in ensuring that the abductees returned home safely.
The victims were abducted during the deadly attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on February 3, 2026, when armed terrorists invaded the community, killing scores of residents and whisking away the victims into the forest, triggering widespread outrage and intensified security operations. Following sustained military operations and coordinated efforts by security agencies, the victims regained their freedom and were transported from Niger State to Ilorin late Thursday night, August 6. They were received at the Nigerian Army's 2 Division, Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, before being moved to an undisclosed location where they spent the night. The rescued victims were expected to be officially handed over to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who has consistently engaged security authorities to ensure their safe return.
Receiving the victims of the Woro attack in Ilorin, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the February incident as not only sad but regrettable. The governor received the victims, who are mostly women and children, from the 22 Armoured Brigade Commander Brigadier General Nicholas Rume. The governor also hailed the efforts of security agencies and the federal government in securing the release of the abductees.
The revelation by the lawmaker has cast a shadow over the joy of the victims' return, as the deaths of 25 children and the recruitment of 12 youths into the terrorists' army highlight the brutal reality of the captivity they endured. For the families of those who did not return, the pain of loss is compounded by the knowledge that their loved ones died in captivity, far from home and without a proper burial. As the survivors begin the long process of healing and reintegration, the tragedy of the Woro abduction serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of the insecurity that has gripped Nigeria's North‑Central region.
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