Terrorists have threatened to marry women they find attractive and kill the rest among the 176 captives held in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. Families of these abductees are urgently appealing to both the Federal and Kwara State Governments for swift intervention, as their loved ones have been in captivity for nearly six months.
The community has reportedly tried everything possible, including raising over ₦155 million through collective contributions, only to have the ransom rejected and the captives still not released. Abdul Ibrahim, a Kaiama resident, expressed the community’s profound desperation and the unbearable pain of families who remain without their loved ones.
The kidnappers have allegedly made grim threats—planning to force some women into marriage while warning that those deemed less desirable would be killed if their demands go unmet. Ibrahim has called on security forces to enhance rescue operations, highlighting that previously organized peaceful protests failed to elicit adequate government action.
Community leaders like Dan Sardaukin Kaiama and Suleiman Bukata have urged the federal authorities to replicate a successful rescue recently conducted in Oyo State, which saw the liberation of abducted schoolchildren and teachers. Bukata believes such decisive action is crucial for bringing hope to the families in Kaiama and emphasized that each passing day magnifies the risk to the abductees’ lives and intensifies their suffering.
Senator Adamu Aliero has voiced his alarm over rising insecurity in northern Nigeria, citing terrorism and kidnapping as grave risks to national stability. He defended the federal government regarding security funding, asserting that the National Assembly consistently approves necessary budget allocations for terrorism combat. He shifted attention to the complexity of security issues and advocated for the creation of state police. This would empower governors with the constitutional capability to manage local forces tailored to their specific security needs.
As anxiety continues to mount in Kaiama and nearby communities, there is growing insistence on urgent governmental action to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
