Survivors of the recent terrorist attacks on Worro and Nukku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have called on their abductors to release their wives and children as the Ramadan fasting period approaches.
The affected residents made the plea while speaking with journalists during a visit to the devastated communities by the senator representing Kwara North Senatorial District, Sadiq Umar.
According to the survivors, there is no one left to support them at home, particularly with cooking and other preparations for the fast, following the abduction of women during the attacks.
“We are appealing to both the government and the attackers to release our wives and children in the spirit of Ramadan,” one of the residents said.
The villagers disclosed that the attackers, who reportedly killed over 170 people and abducted more than 100 others, mostly women and children, have not made any ransom demands since the assaults.
Residents also revealed that many families are yet to rebuild their burnt and destroyed homes, with most victims currently squatting with relatives or seeking refuge outside the area.
Speaking on the situation, the village head of Worro, Alhaji Umar Bio Salihu, said the community is grappling with a severe lack of basic infrastructure, particularly drinking water, due to the destruction of electricity facilities.
“There has been no water since electricity was destroyed. Without power, we cannot pump water. It was the senator who donated a generator to enable us to pump water. During the burial of the dead last Wednesday, we had to travel for over an hour on a terrible road to Kaiama to get water,” he said.
Alhaji Salihu added that insecurity remains the community’s biggest challenge, noting that many residents have fled.
“There are limited people left in the community. Many have relocated elsewhere. The only thing that will make people return is adequate security. Even those still here may leave at any time,” he warned.
Due to the level of destruction, the village head’s palace—normally used for community meetings—was damaged, forcing residents to receive the visiting senator under a tree.
During his visit, Senator Sadiq Umar toured the affected communities to assess the level of destruction and visited a mass gravesite, where over 150 victims were reportedly buried. Prayers were offered for the deceased.
The senator assured residents that efforts were ongoing to restore peace and rebuild the communities, while calling on the Federal Government to improve road infrastructure in the area urgently.
“With these bad roads, before help can arrive, hoodlums would have already caused untold damage,” Umar said.
He also suggested that the government should consider converting parts of the Kainji National Park into an agro-industrial zone as a long-term strategy to curb banditry.
As part of immediate relief efforts, Senator Umar distributed palliatives and cash support to victims and urged residents to remain hopeful, vigilant, and cooperative with security agencies by providing timely intelligence to help safeguard lives and property.
