“We’ll marry beautiful ones, kill the rest” — Terrorists threaten 176 woro captives

Families of at least 176 persons abducted by terrorists in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have renewed their appeal to the Federal Government and the Kwara State Government to secure the release of their loved ones after nearly six months in captivity.

 

The appeal comes amid allegations that the terrorists threatened to force the “beautiful” female captives into marriage and kill the remaining hostages.

 

Speaking in an interview monitored on the BBC Hausa Service, a Kaiama indigene, Abdul Ibrahim, alleged that the abductors issued the threat while negotiations for the victims’ release stalled.

 

He said affected communities had raised more than ₦155 million through community crowdfunding in a desperate bid to secure the captives’ freedom, but the terrorists allegedly rejected the ransom.

 

“We have done everything within our means. The money was raised, yet our people have not been released. Their suffering continues, and families are living in agony,” he said.

 

Ibrahim appealed to the Federal Government, the Kwara State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims, noting that families had exhausted virtually every available option without success.

 

He added that peaceful protests organised by members of the affected communities had also failed to attract the intervention needed to secure the release of the abductees.

 

Also speaking, the Dan Sardaukin Kaiama and Suleiman Bukata urged the Federal Government and security agencies to replicate the operation that recently led to the rescue of abductees in Oyo State by extending similar efforts to Kaiama, where hundreds of residents have remained in terrorists’ camps for months.

 

Bukata said the successful rescue of the Oyo victims had rekindled hope among families in Kaiama, stressing that residents of the area deserved the same level of commitment and protection from the authorities.

 

He warned that every additional day the victims remained in captivity exposed them to greater danger and hardship.

 

Commenting on the worsening security situation in northern Nigeria, Senator Adamu Aliero lamented the persistent wave of insecurity but said the Federal Government could not be blamed for inadequate funding of security operations.

 

According to him, the National Assembly has consistently approved budgetary requests by security agencies to support the fight against terrorism.

 

Aliero argued that the persistence of terrorist attacks reflected the complexity of the security challenge rather than a lack of funding.

 

He, however, renewed his call for the establishment of state police, saying governors should be constitutionally empowered and adequately equipped to deploy local policing structures capable of responding more effectively to security threats in their respective states.