Kwara Abductees Cry Out In Captivity, Beg Gov Abdulrazaq For Rescue
A disturbing video has surfaced showing hundreds of abducted residents from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, including women and children, pleading for help months after they were kidnapped by terrorists.
The footage, obtained by Peoples Gazette on Thursday, showed the victims assembled by their captors and made to speak about their condition in captivity.
Several of the hostages, who spoke in English, Yoruba, Hausa, Nupe and other languages, appealed to the Kwara State Government and the public to intervene and secure their release.
One of the victims said they were abducted from Woro on February 3 and had remained in captivity since then.
She said, “Dear Muslim brothers and sisters, we are here today. We are those people picked from Woro in the Kiama Local Government Area of Kwara on February 3. Now we’re in April 8. We’re begging you: this is our last opportunity given to us. We have children and pregnant women among us. There are some with blood cancer among us.”
She added that while some of them were dealing with illness and pregnancy, their captors had continued to provide food and teach them basic Islamic knowledge and etiquette.
“What we don’t know at home, we have known them. We did not know so many things, but they taught us. They are not beating us. In fact, they give us food and water. Everything is available. But we are still begging you. Please, this is our last opportunity,” she said.
Another hostage also appealed directly to the authorities, saying, “Please, we beg the Kwara government to come to our rescue. This is the last opportunity they gave us to leave this place. So we need your support, even though they do not maltreat us.”
The video emerged months after terrorists reportedly attacked Woro and Nuku communities in February, killing more than 200 residents and abducting 176 others.
At the time, the attackers were said to have also released footage of the abductees while accusing the administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of misleading the public and the international community about the scale of the abductions.
As of the time of filing this report, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, and the spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, had not responded to requests for comment on the latest video.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
