After six months in captivity and 21 days of rehabilitation, 146 victims of the Woro community kidnapping in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have been reunited with their families.
The victims, who were rescued on Aug. 5 after being abducted during an attack on the community on Feb. 3, were handed over to their loved ones on Friday amid tears, dancing and jubilation.
The Kwara Government also provided financial assistance to help the survivors rebuild their lives, with each adult receiving N1 million, youths N500,000 and children N200,000.
The Chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area and Kwara Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi Danladi, disclosed this at a reception for the victims held at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama.
Danladi described the occasion as a “great and memorable” moment for Woro and the entire Kaiama community, while commending President Bola Tinubu and Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for their roles in securing the victims’ release and supporting their rehabilitation.
He said the state government kept the victims in Ilorin for 21 days to undergo rehabilitation before returning them to their families.
According to him, 146 victims have been reunited with their relatives, while three others remained in hospital receiving treatment.
“We want to specially thank Gov. AbdulRazaq for the cash support. Adults received N1 million each, middle-aged youths received N500,000, while children received N200,000 each to support them to start again and settle well,” Danladi said.
He urged residents to continue supporting the survivors, stressing that they would require collective assistance to overcome the trauma of their experience.
Danladi also called for greater community participation in security, urging residents, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to promptly report suspicious persons and movements to security agencies.
The Village Head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Saliu, described the return of the victims as “good news” for the community and appealed for sustained government and public support to help them recover from the psychological impact of their ordeal.
Saliu commended the government for commencing the reconstruction of shops destroyed during the attack, saying the initiative would help restore commercial activities in the community.
He, however, appealed for assistance for farmers who fled Woro following repeated attacks.
“Agriculture is our mainstay. Our farmers have lost everything. The government should please support them with assistance to start again,” he said.
The Chairman of the Intervention Committee between the Government and Woro Community, Mr Ahmed Ibn Ahmed, disclosed that 13 people were still in captivity, urging the government to intensify efforts to secure their release.
Ahmed said more than N80 million had so far been distributed as financial support to the rescued victims.
He also called for stronger security around Woro and other communities bordering the national park, alleging that criminal elements were exploiting the area as a hideout.
The committee chairman appealed for the restoration of electricity to Woro and other communities that had remained without power.
For some of the survivors, the financial assistance offered an opportunity to rebuild businesses and regain some measure of independence after months of uncertainty.
One of the victims, Mariam Ayuba, expressed gratitude for her freedom and the support from the state government, saying she planned to use the money to revive her salon business, which was affected by her prolonged absence.
Another survivor, Amira Saliu, said she was overwhelmed with joy after being reunited with her family and friends following six months in captivity.
“I can’t express my feelings. I am so happy that I have lost words. I thank Almighty Allah for my safety and the governor for the support.
“I will use the money wisely and plan myself. I will try to forget the experience and move on with my life,” she said.
The return sparked celebrations across Woro and Kaiama as residents gathered in large numbers to welcome the survivors.
Relatives and friends embraced the returnees, with many shedding tears of joy as the community celebrated their homecoming.
The Woro community was attacked on Feb. 3, with 176 people reportedly abducted. The victims were later rescued on Aug. 5.
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