Relief as 176 kidnap victims regain freedom after months in captivity

Kidnapped victims in the Woro abduction case that occurred in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have been freed.

This has been announced in a statement made available to the media on Wednesday by the Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on New Media, Olayinka Fafoluyi.

Although he was grateful for the development, Fafoluyi thanked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, security operatives, and everyone who helped in freeing the kidnapped victims.

“Alhamdulillah, and kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the security forces, and everyone who played a role in this huge feat. We are grateful. Details later,” he said.

The announcement was also published on the official Facebook page of the Kwara State Government, confirming that the victims had regained their freedom.

The Woro kidnapping occurred on February 3, 2026, when heavily armed insurgents invaded the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, abducting 176 people, most of them women and children.

Residents had reported that more than 50 armed attackers stormed the communities in a coordinated assault that lasted several hours, killing several residents and setting houses, shops and public buildings ablaze before fleeing with dozens of captives.

The incident sparked widespread condemnation and renewed concerns over insecurity in parts of Kwara State.

Authorities are yet to disclose the circumstances surrounding the victims’ release or whether any arrests were made during the operation.