Kaiama Residents Demand Rescue Of 176 Woro Abductees

Residents of Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State during the weekend took to the streets in a peaceful protest, demanding the immediate rescue of 176 residents of Woro community who have remained in captivity for 176 days following a deadly bandit attack.

The protesters, who turned out in large numbers, marched through major streets of Kaiama, calling on the Federal Government, the Kwara State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abductees, whom they said had been abandoned despite months of uncertainty and anguish for their families.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the demonstrators moved from the Kaiama Roundabout through the Emir’s Palace and the Kaiama Police Station before terminating the procession at the Kaiama Local Government Secretariat, where they appealed to the authorities to urgently intervene.

The protesters argued that the recent successful rescue of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area has shown that determined and coordinated security operations can produce positive results.

They therefore urged the government to replicate the same commitment and urgency in securing the freedom of the Woro victims.

Addressing the protesters, President of the Kaiama Development Association, Alhaji Salihu Yakubu, said the 176 victims had remained in captivity since the attack on Woro community on February 3, with no official information about their whereabouts or the progress made towards securing their release.

Yakubu alleged that more than 300 people lost their lives during the attack, while women, children and men were taken away by the attackers, describing the incident as one of the worst security tragedies to have befallen the community.

He lamented what he described as the prolonged silence surrounding the fate of the abductees, saying residents had continued to live with fear, uncertainty and emotional trauma.

According to him, the people of Woro deserve the same level of attention and commitment that has been demonstrated in other parts of the country where victims of abduction were successfully rescued.
“We are Nigerians, and our people deserve to be rescued. The successful rescue of the Oriire schoolchildren and teachers has given us hope that with genuine commitment, our own people can also regain their freedom. Government should not allow Woro victims to be forgotten,” he said.

Also speaking, the Village Head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Bio-Salihu, said the community was yet to recover from the devastating attack, adding that insecurity had continued to spread to neighbouring communities, including Nuku, Tenebo, Kemaanji and Maje.

He noted that repeated attacks had displaced residents, disrupted livelihoods and forced many farmers to abandon their farmlands for fear of being attacked.
Bio-Salihu appealed to both the Federal and State Governments to treat the Woro situation as a humanitarian emergency, stressing that every passing day in captivity further deepens the suffering of the abductees and their families.

One of the protesters, Mrs. Awwal Mohammed, said the prolonged captivity of the victims had crippled economic activities across the area, with many residents unable to access farms and local markets because of persistent insecurity.

She said families of the abductees continue to endure emotional and psychological trauma, while many have exhausted their means of livelihood in the search for their loved ones.

The Convener of the protest, Mr. Abdulhammeed Abubakar, described the demonstration as a peaceful appeal to the conscience of government, urging security agencies to intensify ongoing operations to ensure the safe return of the abductees.
According to him, the people of Kaiama are not asking for special treatment but for equal attention, insisting that every Nigerian life deserves protection irrespective of location.

Responding to the protesters, the spokesperson for Kaiama Local Government, Mr. Suleiman Tanko, assured residents that the council chairman, in collaboration with the Kwara State Government and relevant security agencies, was working to secure the release of the victims.

He appealed for patience and continued cooperation with security agencies, expressing optimism that ongoing efforts would yield positive results.

The protest ended peacefully, with residents expressing hope that their appeal would draw renewed attention to the plight of the Woro abductees and hasten coordinated action towards their safe rescue and reunion with their families.