Two months after terrorists attacked Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, families of abducted residents say they are still uncertain about the fate of their loved ones.
The victims, who were abducted during the February 3, 2026, attack, are believed to be in the custody of suspected Boko Haram members, with relatives lamenting that there has been no contact or ransom demand from the kidnappers.
According to family members who spoke with Peoples Gazatte, the abductors have neither communicated with the victims’ families nor made any ransom demands since the attack.
Earlier reports indicated that about 170 casualties were recorded during the incident, according to a lawmaker, Sa’idu Ahmed.
One of the survivors, Abubakar Ibrahim, narrated how he narrowly escaped death during the attack by hiding while the assailants killed his sons.
Ibrahim said his wife and six children were among those abducted during the raid.
“I lost two of my younger brothers, Kado and Isah, during the attack, while six members of my family were kidnapped,” he said.
He added that the once-bustling community has since been deserted as many residents fled to safer areas.
“We are worried about the absence of communication between the government and us regarding efforts to rescue the victims,” he lamented.
Young Children Among Abductees
Another resident, Mohammed Abdulkarim, said families have been left in anguish since the incident, noting that even very young children were taken during the attack.
“The child is just about two years old and has barely started talking. The only word he says is ‘Daddy’,” Abdulkarim said, referring to his abducted child.
He also criticised the silence from the authorities two months after the attack.
“Over 170 people were kidnapped, and we don’t know what is happening. We are not concerned about palliatives; we want information and action from the government,” he said.
Another survivor, Sadiq Musa, said many of those abducted were children.
“We have not heard anything from the government about our children. It has been two months now, and there is no information,” he said.
Musa said he lost one of his sons, a secondary school student, during the attack, while two other children were abducted.
“We need the federal government to rescue the abducted victims. People are living in fear, and many are developing health issues due to the trauma,” he added.
Following the attack, many residents fled the affected communities and sought refuge in safer locations.
Families of the victims are now appealing to the government to urgently intervene and secure the release of those still in captivity.
Responding to the situation, the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said security agencies were working to rescue the abducted victims.
“The effort is ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims. The Nigerian police, alongside the military, are on the ground to rescue the victims,” she said.