By Muyideen Aliyu
Residents of the Kaiama community in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State staged a protest on Friday, demanding the release of 176 residents of Woro community who have remained in captivity for 171 days.
The protesters, who turned out in large numbers, expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as prolonged silence on the part of the state government regarding efforts to secure the victims’ release.
Speaking during the rally, which took demonstrators around the town, the President of the Kaiama Development Association, Alhaji Salihu Yakubu, stated that the abductees had been held since February 3 without any official update on their rescue.
He alleged that more than 300 people lost their lives during the attack on Woro, while 176 others comprising men, women, and children were abducted.
He lamented the lack of government presence in the area, saying residents had been neglected for too long.
“Woro community was attacked in February, and 176 people were taken away. There has been no update on their whereabouts. We are calling on the government to come to our rescue and bring back our children, wives, and husbands.”
“Enough is enough. The government should act swiftly to rescue our innocent people. Woro abductees should not be treated differently from other Nigerians,” he added.
Similarly, the Village Head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Bio-Salihu, stated that the community had yet to recover from the trauma of the attack.
He added that nearby communities, including Nuku, Tenebo, Kemaanji, and Maje, had also come under severe attacks by suspected bandits.
“Since the attack on Woro, other communities in Kaiama continue to experience attacks. Our people are living in fear.”
“The government acted swiftly in similar incidents in other parts of the country. We appeal to the state government to accord our plight the same commitment to secure the release of our people. We are Nigerians. Please rescue our people and reunite them with their families,” Bio-Salihu said.
One of the protesters, Mrs. Awwal Mohammed, explained that insecurity had crippled economic activities in the area, preventing residents from accessing their farms and markets.
She expressed deep concern that the victims’ prolonged captivity had left the community feeling abandoned.
The spokesperson for Kaiama Local Government, Mr. Suleiman Tanko, assured residents that both the council chairman and the state government were working to secure the victims’ release.
The convener of the protest, Mr. Abdulhammeed Abubakar, described the demonstration as a wake-up call to the authorities.
“Our people deserve urgent attention. We urge the government to intensify efforts to rescue them and reunite them with their families,” he said.
The protesters marched from Kaiama Roundabout to the Emir’s Palace, the Kaiama Police Station, and the Kaiama Local Government Secretariat, reiterating their demand for the release of the 176 abductees after 171 days.
It will be recalled that bandits attacked the community in February, killing over 300 people, looting property, and abducting 176 residents.
While Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dispatched a high-powered delegation led by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima to commiserate with the people and government of Kwara State following the barbaric attack, no official information regarding the victims’ rescue has been released since.