Panic has gripped Kwara State after terrorists holding 176 women and children from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area dropped a chilling bomb: meet our demands in one week or we start killing them. The deadly threat came right after Friday prayers last week.…....
The abductors, suspected to be Boko Haram members, told the hostages they are fed up waiting. They complained the government is not serious about negotiations, even though they are spending money to feed everyone. If nothing happens fast, they warned they will begin executing the weak ones and force the women and girls into marriage.
The community’s traditional ruler, Salihu Bio, whose own wife is among the captives, confirmed the horror. He spoke to journalists on Sunday after one abducted woman called her family in tears. “The abductees told us that after the Jumu’ah prayer on Friday, the terrorists said the government was not taking the matter seriously,” Bio said. “If nothing is done within one week, they will begin to take drastic actions.”
The woman added that everyone is still alive but the captors have been forcing them to learn Arabic and Islamic lessons.The nightmare started on February 3 when gunmen stormed Woro and nearby villages, killing over 170 people before dragging the women and children into the bush. Months later, no rescue has come.
Families have cried out, protested, and begged the government, but their loved ones remain missing. A community source said the pain is too much. “These are our wives and children. Now they are threatening to kill them or force them into marriage,” the source told reporters.
So far, the police and Federal Government have stayed silent on what they are doing to save the hostages before the one-week deadline expires. As the clock ticks in Kaiama, residents are living in fear, praying the government wakes up before it is too late for the 176 innocent souls.
