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Families of 176 residents abducted from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have renewed calls for urgent federal intervention after terrorists allegedly threatened to force female captives into marriage and execute the remaining hostages if their demands are not met.
The victims, most of whom are women, children and nursing mothers, were kidnapped during a coordinated attack on Woro and neighbouring communities, including Nuku and Kososo, on or about February 3, 2026.
Community leaders said more than 200 residents were killed in the assault, while scores of others were taken away by the attackers.
Nearly six months after the attack, the abductees remain in captivity, with relatives expressing growing fears over their safety.
The armed group, identified in various reports as suspected Boko Haram fighters or heavily armed bandits, has reportedly continued to hold the victims in remote locations despite repeated appeals for their release.
Fresh concerns emerged that the abductors had allegedly warned that “they would marry the beautiful ones and kill the rest” if their demands were not met.
A community member, Abdul Ibrahim, who spoke with BBC Hausa, said the threat had deepened fears among relatives.
“They said they would marry the beautiful ones and kill the rest,” Ibrahim said, adding that the terrorists had refused to soften their position despite months of negotiations.
Relatives said they had raised more than ₦155 million through public donations and crowdfunding campaigns in an effort to secure the release of their loved ones.
However, they alleged that the terrorists rejected the money and insisted on a much higher ransom.
Community members said peaceful demonstrations organised to draw attention to the prolonged captivity had yielded little result, prompting renewed appeals to the Federal Government and the Kwara State Government to intensify rescue efforts.
Traditional leaders, including the Dan Sardaukin Kaiama and Suleiman Bukata, urged security agencies to treat the case with the same urgency that led to the successful rescue of abductees in Oyo State.
“The government should accord this matter the same level of urgency given to other recent rescue operations. These people have suffered for too long,” one of the community leaders appealed.
Earlier reports published in April indicated that the terrorists had issued a one-week ultimatum, claiming they could no longer bear the cost of feeding the hostages.
According to community sources, the armed group threatened to marry off some of the young women while executing captives they considered “liabilities”.
The sources also alleged that the hostages were being taught Arabic and Islamic studies while in captivity.
Recent accounts indicate that the abductors are unwilling to negotiate with the Kwara State Government, insisting that discussions must be conducted directly with the Federal Government.
Community leaders said ransom demands have reportedly risen to about ₦2 billion, while security operations across forests in Kaiama and surrounding communities have yet to locate the victims.
Families also disclosed that one of the women who was pregnant at the time of the abduction reportedly gave birth while in captivity, underscoring the worsening humanitarian conditions facing the hostages.
Traditional rulers, community organisations and other stakeholders, including Salihu Bio, whose wife remains among those abducted, have continued to demand swift federal intervention, warning that the prolonged captivity of the victims reflects the deteriorating security situation across Kaiama and adjoining communities.
As of the latest reports, the 176 abductees remain in captivity, with no official confirmation of a breakthrough in efforts to secure their release.
