Seven construction workers abducted from a Kwara State Government road project have regained their freedom after spending weeks in captivity.
The workers were kidnapped on December 15, 2025, while working on the Sabaja–Owa-Onire Road in Isin Local Government Area of the state, triggering widespread concern among residents and the victims’ families.
Confirming their release in a statement issued on Monday in Ilorin, the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Olajide Abolarin, said the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Abdulquawy Olododo, disclosed that the workers were freed through coordinated efforts between the state government and security agencies.
Olododo described the development as a major boost to public safety efforts in Kwara State, commending Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for what he termed firm political will in addressing insecurity.
He revealed that two of the abducted workers were engineers with the Kwara State Ministry of Works, noting that the incident highlighted the dangers faced by personnel engaged in public infrastructure projects.
“We are grateful to His Excellency and to the security agencies. We also appreciate everyone who stood by us in these trying times,” the commissioner said.
The abduction had earlier drawn public attention after families of the victims accused the kidnappers of demanding a ransom of N500 million and raised concerns over what they described as slow rescue efforts.
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Speaking on December 29, 2025, the families’ spokesperson, Dare Boyinbogun, told journalists that the gunmen invaded the construction site at about 11:40 a.m. and abducted several workers and their driver.
He said the victims were ordinary workers contributing to the development of the state, adding that their families endured fear, hunger and emotional distress during the period of captivity.
The families had appealed to the state government and security agencies to intensify rescue operations, which have now resulted in the safe release of the abducted workers.