Families of at least 176 people abducted by terrorists in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have appealed to the Federal Government and the Kwara State Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of their loved ones after nearly six months in captivity.
The renewed appeal comes amid allegations that the abductors threatened to force the female captives they considered “beautiful” into marriage while killing the remaining hostages if their demands were not met.
Speaking during an interview monitored on the BBC Hausa Service, a Kaiama indigene, Abdul Ibrahim, said the affected communities had exhausted virtually every option to secure the captives’ freedom without success.
He disclosed that residents raised more than ₦155 million through community contributions as ransom in a desperate attempt to secure the release of the victims. However, he alleged that the terrorists rejected the money, leaving the abductees in captivity.
According to Ibrahim, the captors warned that they would marry off the attractive female hostages and kill the others if their conditions were not fulfilled.
“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.
He added that peaceful protests organised by members of the affected communities had also failed to attract the intervention needed to rescue the victims.
Also appealing for urgent action, the Dan Sardaukin Kaiama and Suleiman Bukata urged the Federal Government and security agencies to replicate the recent security operation that led to the rescue of abductees in Oyo State by extending similar efforts to Kaiama, where hundreds of residents have remained in terrorist camps for several months.
Bukata said the successful rescue of the Oyo victims had rekindled hope among families in Kaiama, stressing that residents deserved the same level of commitment and protection from the authorities. He warned that every additional day in captivity exposed the victims to greater danger and hardship.
Meanwhile, Senator Adamu Aliero expressed concern over the worsening security situation across northern Nigeria but defended the Federal Government against claims of inadequate funding for security operations.
The senator stated that the National Assembly had consistently approved budgetary allocations requested by security agencies to support the fight against terrorism, arguing that the persistence of insecurity reflected the complexity of the challenge rather than a lack of financial resources.
He, however, renewed his call for the establishment of state police, insisting that governors should be constitutionally empowered and adequately equipped to establish local policing structures capable of responding more effectively to security threats in their respective states.
