Five months after a deadly attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, families of 176 abducted residents have appealed to the Federal Government and the Kwara State Government to rescue their loved ones, saying kidnappers rejected the N155 million they raised as ransom.
The attack, which occurred on February 3, 2026, reportedly involved more than 100 armed men who stormed the two communities, killing over 260 people, burning more than 30 houses and abducting 176 residents.
Speaking to BBC Hausa, a representative of the affected families, Alhaji Abdul Ibrahim, said he personally lost 10 relatives during the attack, while 35 members of his extended family remain in captivity.
According to him, the communities raised N155 million after the kidnappers demanded ransom, but the abductors rejected the amount, insisting it was not enough.
“We raised N155 million and took it to them, but they refused to accept it, saying it was not enough. 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,” he said.
Under Nigerian law, the payment of ransom to kidnappers is prohibited.
The families expressed disappointment that while victims abducted in a separate incident in neighbouring Oyo State were rescued by security agencies, those taken from Woro and Nuku communities remain in captivity.
Another community leader, Alhaji Sulaiman Bukata, said residents recently staged a peaceful protest to draw the attention of the government to the plight of the abductees.
Bukata also alleged that the kidnappers threatened to force some of the young women into marriage and kill others if security agencies failed to intervene. The claim, however, could not be independently verified.
Also speaking, the member representing the area in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Sa’idu Baba Ahmed, urged the Federal Government to intensify rescue efforts, warning that the prolonged captivity of the victims continues to inflict pain and hardship on their families.
