Families of residents abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have said they fear some of the captives, particularly pregnant women and children, may have died in captivity due to the prolonged silence from both the terrorists and government authorities.
The distraught families spoke to SaharaReporters on Thursday evening as anxiety and despair continue to spread across the rural community months after the mass abduction.
According to relatives of the victims, there has been no meaningful communication from the terrorists since the captives were taken away, while the government has also failed to provide any concrete update on rescue efforts.
One of the family members said the situation has left many households devastated and hopeless.
“We are living in fear every day,” the relative told SaharaReporters. “Since they were taken, we have not heard anything from the terrorists or from the government. No calls, no demands, nothing. This is exactly a month they paraded them in a video, we have not heard anything again and government seems to have move on.”
The source said the silence has heightened fears that some of the abductees may have already died, especially vulnerable individuals among them.
“We are particularly worried about the pregnant women and the children,” the source said. “Some of them were already weak before they were taken. If they are in the bush without food, without medical care, how can they survive for this long?”
Another family member said the community has been plunged into a state of mourning, with residents struggling to cope with uncertainty.
“Our hearts are heavy every day,” the resident said. “We don’t know whether our people are alive or dead. We are begging the government to do something because we cannot continue living like this.”
The relative added that many families are beginning to lose hope
“We are losing hope because nobody is telling us anything. The government is silent, and the terrorists are silent too,” the source lamented. “We are afraid that some of our people might have died in their den.”
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that suspected Boko Haram terrorists, formally known as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, released a disturbing video in which they paraded 176 abducted victims, including women, children and a nursing mother allegedly seized from Woro community.
In the video, one of the terrorists was seen interrogating the captives and asking them to state where they were kidnapped.
Responding in Hausa language, three women, including a nursing mother, said they were abducted from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The footage showed dozens of women and children standing in rows, many of them visibly distressed.
Their clothes appeared dirty and worn, while several children were seen without trousers, highlighting the harsh conditions under which they were being held.
While parading the victims, one of the terrorists openly accused the Kwara State government of misleading Nigerians and the international community over the scale of the abductions.
According to the terrorist in the video, the state government falsely claimed that only between 20 and 30 people were kidnapped, insisting instead that the number of captives in their custody stood at 176.
“The Kwara State government lied to Nigeria and to the whole world,” the terrorist alleged in the footage.
The video sparked widespread concern about the deteriorating security situation in Kaiama Local Government Area and other parts of Kwara North, where residents say communities remain vulnerable to attacks by armed groups operating across the state.
Responding, the Kwara State Government, said it was deeply concerned on the disturbing video released by terrorists.
“As always, our thoughts are with all the families affected, and we reaffirm our commitment to securing the safe return of all those impacted,” the state government stated in a statement issued by the State Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju.
The government said it acknowledged the anxiety that this footage might cause but declared that government officials and security agencies were carefully analysing the video to establish the identities of the individuals shown.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Government had not publicly communicated any progress made so far towards rescuing these abductees.
The latest fears expressed by families come weeks after SaharaReporters reported the initial massacre and mass abduction that rocked the quiet agrarian community.
On February 3, 2026, SaharaReporters reported that dozens of people were brutally killed following a coordinated and deadly attack by suspected Sahel-backed terrorists on Woro community.
Among those killed during the bloody assault were two wives of the Emir of Woro, several of his children, the Chief Imam of Woro, a school principal, a headmistress and students who had just returned home from school.
The attackers reportedly stormed the community on a Tuesday evening, killing indiscriminately and attacking residents and travellers passing through the area.
Source: SaharaReporters
