Residents of Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, mostly youths, troop out en masse to protest the continued captivity of 176 people abducted during an attack on Woro community.
The protesters, who said the victims had spent 171 days in the hands of their abductors, called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure their immediate release.
Naija News reports that they also demanded increased security across Kaiama and neighbouring communities, saying residents were living in fear as kidnappings and attacks continued in the area.
The demonstrators carried placards and chanted solidarity songs as they marched from the main roundabout through the Emir of Kaiama’s Palace to the Divisional Police Headquarters.
The procession later ended at the local government secretariat.
Speaking on behalf of the organisers, Abdulhameed Abubakar said the protest was organised to draw attention to the prolonged captivity of the victims and remind governments at all levels of their responsibility to protect citizens.
He said the victims had been held for too long without any breakthrough and urged the authorities to take decisive action to secure their freedom.
The protesters also called for a stronger security presence in Kaiama communities to protect lives and property.
Abubakar further urged President Bola Tinubu to fulfil a reported promise made on February 5 to deploy an Army battalion to the local government.
He also called for the de-gazetting of the Kainji Lake National Park, which he described as a major hideout for terrorists and other criminal elements.
“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.
According to Daily Trust, the Village Head of Woro, Umar Bio Salihu, whose wife and child are among those still in captivity, made an emotional appeal to the authorities not to abandon the victims and their families.
He called on the government to do everything possible to bring the abducted residents back home.
“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, Mallam Yakubu Salihu, said the prolonged captivity had devastated the entire community.
He argued that the people of Kaiama felt neglected, noting that governments had responded more quickly to similar incidents in other parts of the country.
“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,” Salihu said.
The KDA president also raised concerns over the continued insecurity in the local government, saying attacks and kidnappings had not stopped despite ongoing security operations.
He cited a recent attack on Aboki community, saying the attackers were neutralised following the prompt intervention of combined security operatives.
Salihu also alleged that kidnappers recently collected about ₦40 million in ransom from residents of Venra community.
He urged the authorities to strengthen security operations and take more decisive action to prevent further attacks.
Also speaking, the Kiwozi of Wozibe and Chairman of the State Intervention Committee on the Woro and Nuku attacks, Ahmed Ibn Muhammed, said the residents were only demanding the same level of attention given to victims of similar attacks in other parts of the country.
He noted that some abducted persons from Papiri and Oyo had regained their freedom, urging the Federal Government to intensify efforts to ensure that the Woro victims were also reunited with their families.
Muhammed identified poor road infrastructure linking Kaiama with neighbouring local government areas and states as another major challenge affecting security operations.
He appealed to the Federal Government to improve the road network to make it easier for security agencies to respond quickly to emergencies.
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 occurred in several communities before and after the incident, leaving residents worried about their safety.
Mohammed urged the Federal and state governments to urgently address the worsening security situation and protect residents from further attacks.
Police Assure Protesters
Receiving the protesters, the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Afiz Nafiu, assured them that security agencies had not abandoned efforts to rescue the abducted residents.
He urged the protesters to remain peaceful, saying security operatives were continuing their operations to secure 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.
