Terrorists Reject N155m Ransom for 176 Kwara Abductees
Families of 176 residents abducted from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have appealed to the Federal Government, the state government and security agencies to step up efforts to rescue their loved ones.
The victims have remained in captivity for nearly six months, with their families saying more than N155 million was raised as ransom for their release, but the terrorists reportedly rejected the money.
Dr Abdul Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of the affected families and residents on Thursday night, said the funds were raised through community donations, personal savings and the sale of valuables.
He said the families had tried several means to secure the victims’ freedom, including negotiations with the abductors and public protests, but their efforts had yet to yield any result.
“We have done all we can, but there is no progress,” Ibrahim said.
He explained that the abductors told the community that because some of the victims were from Kwara and Niger states, the two governments should work together to address the situation. He added that the terrorists had refused to negotiate directly with the families.
Ibrahim said the rejection of the money had further dashed the families’ hopes of resolving the crisis through negotiations.
He also alleged that the abductors had issued fresh threats against some of the captives, including threats to kill some victims. He further claimed that some of the female abductees were being forced into marriage.
The alleged threats, he said, had increased the anxiety among relatives who have been waiting for the return of their loved ones since the abduction.
Ibrahim appealed to security agencies to launch a sustained operation to rescue the victims. He said the recent rescue of abducted persons in neighbouring Oyo State had renewed the families’ hope that those being held in Kaiama could also be freed.
However, the National President of the Kaiama Development Association said no ransom had been paid, adding that negotiations with the abductors were still ongoing.
The Village Head, Alhaji Salihu Umar Bio, also confirmed that the community had made efforts to raise funds towards the release of the victims.
He said the terrorists had maintained since the incident on February 3, 2026, that they wanted to engage directly with the government.
With the victims still in captivity and negotiations yet to produce a breakthrough, the affected families are urging the authorities to take urgent action to secure their release.
For relatives who have spent months waiting for their loved ones to return home, the continued captivity has left them facing growing fear and uncertainty over the safety of the 176 abductees.
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