RismadarVoice Reporters, August 7, 2026
Victims abducted during the February attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have arrived in Ilorin following their rescue after months in captivity.
The rescued victims reportedly arrived in the state capital late Thursday night and were initially received at the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division, Sobi Barracks, before being taken to an undisclosed location for the night.
The victims were among residents abducted after armed assailants attacked Woro and surrounding communities on February 3, 2026, killing several residents and taking scores of people into the forest.
Their rescue followed sustained military operations and coordinated efforts by security agencies in the forests of Kwara and neighbouring Niger State.
The victims were reportedly transported from Niger State to Ilorin after being freed and are expected to be formally handed over to the Kwara State Government.
The state government is also expected to facilitate medical examinations and other forms of support before the victims are reunited with their families.
Meanwhile, a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Saidu Baba-Ahmed, has raised concerns over the fate of some of the abducted children, alleging that several of them have been forced into the ranks of the bandits.
Baba-Ahmed, who represents the Gwanabe/Gweria/Bani/Adena constituency of Kaiama Local Government Area, disclosed this during an interview with BBC Hausa monitored in Ilorin on Friday.
According to the lawmaker, 176 people were abducted from Woro and Nukku communities during the February 3 attack, but the number of those rescued is lower than the original figure.
He said approximately 25 victims were still unaccounted for, adding that some were believed to have died in captivity.
The lawmaker further alleged that children aged 13 and above who remained in captivity had been recruited into the bandits’ ranks.
He said the information was provided by some of the victims who had returned home after being released.
Baba-Ahmed said the rescued victims had arrived safely in Ilorin and were receiving medical attention, while the state government was assessing their condition before facilitating their reunification with their families.
He commended both the Federal and Kwara State Governments, as well as the security agencies involved in the operation, for their efforts toward securing the victims’ release.
