Youths in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State protested at the council secretariat, demanding immediate action in response to the prolonged captivity of 176 women and children taken from the Woro community.
The Kaiama Youths Advocacy Group led the protest, which came after a viral video surfaced showing some of the abductees, including women and children, asking for rescue, escalating tensions and fury in the area.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the group decried what it described as authorities’ inability to safeguard citizen safety, adding that the victims’ protracted detention reveals serious flaws in the security system.
“The disturbing video of women and children kidnapped in the Woro community, Kaiama LGA, pleading for rescue exposes a painful reality: citizens are being failed by the very institutions meant to protect them.”
The group stated that the abduction of such a large number of vulnerable residents signified a major security lapse, expressing concern over what it termed delayed response and lack of transparency from relevant authorities.
“The abduction of 176 women and children is a grave security breach. Yet the prolonged captivity points to a worrying pattern: delayed response, limited transparency, and absence of visible results.
“For families watching their loved ones beg for help, silence from authorities feels like abandonment.”
While admitting the difficulty of tackling banditry, the youngsters asked that commitments made by both the Kwara State Government and the Federal Government go beyond rhetoric to produce tangible outcomes.
“We acknowledge that tackling banditry is complex. Security agencies face difficult terrain, limited resources, and evolving threats.
“Both the Kwara State Government and the Federal Government have previously committed to ending rural insecurity. But commitment must translate into coordinated action.”
To address the crisis, the group proposed immediately deploying specialized rescue operations to Woro with defined timelines and regular public briefings, strengthening local security structures through better support for vigilantes and intelligence gathering, and establishing rapid-response units in border communities such as Kaiama.
They also advocated for early provision of medical, psychological, and rehabilitative support for victims upon release, as well as long-term measures including permanent security positions and continuous patrols to prevent a repetition.
“The government’s primary duty is the protection of life and property. Woro’s women and children cannot wait.
“We urge Kwara State and the Federal Government to act decisively, communicate openly, and secure the safe return of every captive. Leadership is measured not by promises, but by results.”
In a related development, the group’s women’s wing held a peaceful protest in Ilorin, the state capital, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Bring Back Our People; Kaiama Is Crying for Justice” and “Calling on Our Govt to Plead with the President; Our People Are Dying.”
The demonstrators criticized the escalating insecurity in Kwara North, claiming that the situation had reached a breaking point and warning against any attempt to silence their voices for political reasons.
“The insecurity in Kwara North has reached a breaking point, and we refuse to be silenced any longer. No one, no matter their position, has the right to stop us from speaking to the world about the suffering of our people, simply because of political interests.”
They emphasized that the safety of lives must take precedence over political calculations, insisting that silence would only embolden those responsible for the crisis.
“Let it be clearly understood: our lives are more important than any political arrangement.”
The group also warned against intimidation, vowing to continue speaking out until long-term stability is restored in the region.
“We do not care about political calculations at this moment. What we want, what we demand, is peace, security, and protection for our people.”
Meanwhile, amid escalating tensions, five forest guards who were purportedly slain earlier in the day were laid to rest in line with Islamic customs (Janaiza) at the Emir’s Palace in Kaiama, highlighting the area’s deteriorating security situation.
