Dare Babalola
Suspected members of Boko Haram, formally known as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, in a recent video they released have claimed that they are holding 176 individuals from Kwara hostage, a development that has heightened concerns about the security situation in the region.
The disturbing footage shows dozens of women and children allegedly taken from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State seated in rows in an open area, surrounded by armed men
The captives include a nursing mother and several minors, with some children appearing half-clothed and many of the abductees visibly distressed, hinting at the dire conditions of their captivity.
In the video, an armed man questions the captives, asking where they were abducted. Three women, including a nursing mother, respond in Hausa, stating they were kidnapped from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area.
The terrorist alleged during the recording that the Kwara State Government had understated the magnitude of the abduction, asserting that whereas officials had reportedly indicated that between 20 and 30 individuals had been kidnapped, the group maintained that it was holding 176 captives.
“The Kwara State government lied to Nigeria and to the whole world,” the gunman alleged in the footage.
As of the time of this report, the Kwara State Government has not publicly confirmed the number of persons abducted from Woro community nor officially responded to the claims made in the video.
The video emerged weeks after a deadly attack on Woro community on February 4, 2026, when suspected terrorists stormed the area in a coordinated assault. Local sources reported that several residents were killed during the invasion, including family members of the Emir of Woro, the Chief Imam, and education officials.
The traditional ruler, Alhaji Saliu Bio Umar, was reported missing following the attack, fuelling concerns that he may have been abducted during the raid. The assailants reportedly attacked both residents and travellers passing through the community, killing indiscriminately before retreating.
Security analysts have linked the attackers to extremist elements believed to have operational ties across the Sahel region, raising concerns about the possible expansion of insurgent networks into parts of North-Central Nigeria previously considered relatively stable.
