Hundreds of youths and residents of Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have staged a peaceful protest to demand the immediate rescue of the 176 people abducted during the deadly attack on Woro community nearly six months ago.

The demonstrators, who said the victims had now spent 171 days in captivity, urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure their freedom and end the wave of insecurity across the area.

Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, the protesters marched from the main roundabout through the Emir of Kaiama’s Palace to the Divisional Police Headquarters before terminating the procession at the local government secretariat.

Speaking on behalf of the organisers, Abdulhameed Abubakar said the demonstration was intended to remind governments at all levels that the victims had remained in captivity for too long without any breakthrough.

According to him, the protesters also demanded increased security presence across Kaiama communities to safeguard lives and property.

He further urged President Bola Tinubu to fulfil the pledge reportedly made on February 5 to deploy an Army battalion to the local government, while also calling for the de-gazetting of the Kainji Lake National Park described as a major hideout for terrorists and other criminal groups.

“We are protesting because our people have remained in captivity for 171 days. We want the government to act decisively and ensure their safe return. We also want a stronger security presence in Kaiama and the fulfilment of the President’s promise to deploy an Army battalion,” he said.

The Village Head of Woro, Umar Bio Salihu, whose wife and child are still in captivity, appealed emotionally to the authorities not to abandon the victims.

“Our appeal is simple. We want our people back. We are pleading with the government to bring them home as quickly as possible,” he said.

The National President of the Kaiama Development Association (KDA), Mallam Yakubu Salihu, said the prolonged captivity of the victims had left the entire community devastated.

He said while governments had responded swiftly to similar incidents in other parts of the country, the people of Kaiama felt neglected despite the scale of the Woro attack.

“It has been 171 days and we have not seen the kind of response we expected. We are appealing to the government to rescue the victims without further delay,” he said.

Salihu warned that insecurity had persisted in the local government, noting that attacks and kidnappings were still occurring despite ongoing security operations.

He cited a recent attack on the Aboki community, saying the assailants were neutralised through the prompt intervention of combined security operatives.

He also alleged that kidnappers recently collected about ₦40 million ransom from residents of Venra community.

Also speaking, the Kiwozi of Wozibe and Chairman of the State Intervention Committee on the Woro and Nuku attacks, Ahmed Ibn Muhammed, said residents were only asking for the same level of attention given to victims of similar attacks elsewhere.

He noted that abductees from Papiri and Oyo had regained their freedom and appealed to the Federal Government to ensure the Woro victims were reunited with their families.

Muhammed also identified poor road infrastructure linking Kaiama with neighbouring local governments and states as a major challenge to security operations, urging the Federal Government to improve the road network.

Representing women in the community, Hajia Hauwa Mohammed said mothers in Kaiama had continued to live in fear since the Woro attack.

She said kidnappings and killings had persisted across several communities before and after the incident, urging both the federal and state governments to urgently address the worsening security situation.

Receiving the protesters, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Afiz Nafiu, assured them that security agencies had not relented in efforts to rescue the abducted residents.

He urged the demonstrators to remain peaceful, assuring them that ongoing operations were aimed at securing the safe return of the victims.

“The security agencies are not sleeping over the Woro case. Efforts are ongoing to ensure the victims return safely. We urge everyone to remain peaceful as these efforts continue,” the police officer said. (Daily Trust)

Update news