Residents and indigenes of Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have staged a peaceful protest, demanding the immediate release of 176 villagers from Woro community who have remained in captivity for 171 days following the deadly February 3 2026 attack on the community.
The protesters, who turned out in large numbers, decried what they described as the prolonged silence and inadequate response to secure the release of the abducted victims.
Speaking during the demonstration, the President of the Kaiama Development Association, Alhaji Salihu Yakubu, said the victims had remained in the custody of their abductors since February 3, 2026, without any official update on efforts to rescue them.
Yakubu alleged that more than 300 people were killed during the attack on Woro community, while 176 women, children and men were abducted. He lamented what he described as years of neglect by government, insisting that the people of Woro deserve the same urgency and attention given to victims of similar attacks in other parts of the country.
The Village Head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Bio-Salihu, said the community was still battling the trauma of the massacre, adding that nearby communities, including Nuku, Tenebo, Kemaanji and Maje, had also suffered repeated attacks by suspected bandits.
He appealed to both the Kwara State Government and the Federal Government to intensify efforts toward rescuing the abductees, stressing that every day in captivity deepens the pain of affected families.
One of the protesters, Mrs. Awwal Mohammed, said persistent insecurity had crippled farming and commercial activities, leaving residents unable to access their farmlands and markets. She added that the continued captivity of the victims had left the entire community feeling abandoned.
Responding to the concerns, the spokesperson for Kaiama Local Government, Mr. Suleiman Tanko, assured residents that the council chairman, in collaboration with the Kwara State Government, was making concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abductees.
The Convener of the protest, Mr. Abdulhammeed Abubakar, described the demonstration as a peaceful but urgent wake-up call to authorities to act decisively.
The protesters marched from the Kaiama Roundabout through the Emir’s Palace and Kaiama Police Station before terminating the rally at the Kaiama Local Government Secretariat, carrying placards and calling for the immediate rescue of the Woro abductees.
