Youth groups in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State staged a protest on Friday at the council secretariat, calling for urgent government intervention over the continued captivity of 176 women and children abducted from Woro community.
The demonstration, led by the Kaiama Youths Advocacy Group, followed the circulation of a viral video showing some of the kidnapped victims, including women and children, appealing for rescue.
The footage has triggered widespread anger and heightened tension in the area.
Speaking to journalists during the protest, the group condemned what it described as a failure of authorities to guarantee the safety of citizens, saying the prolonged detention of the victims exposed serious weaknesses in the security system.
“The disturbing video of women and children kidnapped in Woro community, Kaiama LGA, pleading for rescue exposes a painful reality: citizens are being failed by the very institutions meant to protect them.”
The group further described the mass abduction as a serious security breach, expressing concern over what it called slow response efforts and poor communication from relevant authorities.
“The abduction of 176 women and children is a grave security breach. Yet the prolonged captivity points to a worrying pattern: delayed response, limited transparency, and absence of visible results.
“For families watching their loved ones beg for help, silence from authorities feels like abandonment.”
While acknowledging the challenges involved in tackling banditry, the youths insisted that both the Kwara State Government and the Federal Government must move beyond promises and deliver concrete action.
“We acknowledge that tackling banditry is complex. Security agencies face difficult terrain, limited resources, and evolving threats.
“Both the Kwara State Government and the Federal Government have previously committed to ending rural insecurity. But commitment must translate into coordinated action.”
The group proposed several measures, including the immediate deployment of specialised rescue teams to Woro with clear timelines and regular updates, reinforcement of local security through better support for vigilante groups and intelligence networks, and the establishment of rapid-response units in border communities such as Kaiama.
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They also called for early arrangements for medical, psychological, and rehabilitation support for victims once rescued, alongside long-term security measures such as permanent security posts and sustained patrol operations.
“The government’s primary duty is the protection of life and property. Woro’s women and children cannot wait.
“We urge Kwara State and the Federal Government to act decisively, communicate openly and secure the safe return of every captive. Leadership is measured not by promises, but by results.”
In a related protest in Ilorin, the state capital, women from the group also took to the streets peacefully, carrying placards with messages such as “Bring Back Our People, Kaiama Is Crying for Justice” and “Calling on Our Govt to Plead with the President, Our People Are Dying.”
They decried worsening insecurity in Kwara North, describing the situation as intolerable and warning against any attempt to silence their demands for political reasons.
“The insecurity in Kwara North has reached a breaking point, and we refuse to be silenced any longer.
No one, no matter their position, has the right to stop us from speaking to the world about the suffering of our people, simply because of political interests.”
They insisted that human lives must take priority over politics, adding:
“Let it be clearly understood: our lives are more important than any political arrangement.”
The women also vowed to continue speaking out until lasting peace and security are restored in the region.
“We do not care about political calculations at this moment. What we want, what we demand, is peace, security and protection for our people.”
Meanwhile, tension remained high in the area as five forest guards reportedly killed earlier in the day were buried according to Islamic rites (Janaiza) at the Emir’s Palace in Kaiama.