By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
Families of no fewer than 176 persons abducted by terrorists in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have renewed their appeal to the Federal and Kwara State governments to urgently secure the release of their loved ones after nearly six months in captivity.
This came amidst allegations that the abductors threatened to marry the “beautiful” female captives and kill the others.
The victims’ relatives said they had raised more than N155 million through community crowdfunding in an attempt to secure the release of the captives but alleged that the terrorists rejected the ransom, leaving the victims to remain in captivity.
Speaking in an interview monitored on the BBC Hausa Service, Abdul Ibrahim, a native of Kaiama, alleged that the terrorists warned they would force the attractive female captives into marriage while killing the remaining hostages if their demands were not met.
He appealed to the Kwara State government, the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the captives, saying families had exhausted virtually every available option without success.
According to him, the affected communities mobilised and contributed over N155 million as ransom in a desperate bid to secure the victims’ freedom, but the money was allegedly rejected by the abductors.
“We have done everything within our means. The money was raised, yet our people have not been released. Their suffering continues, and families are living in agony,” he said.
He added that peaceful demonstrations organised by the community had also failed to attract the desired intervention.
Also speaking, the Dan Sardaukin Kaiama and Suleiman Bukata appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to replicate the efforts that recently led to the rescue of abductees from Oyo State by extending similar operations to Kaiama, where hundreds of residents have remained in terrorists’ camps for months.
Bukata said the successful rescue of the Oyo victims had rekindled hope among families in Kaiama, stressing that the people deserved the same level of commitment and protection from the authorities. He noted that every additional day in captivity exposed the victims to greater danger and untold hardship.
Commenting on the worsening security situation in northern Nigeria, Senator Adamu Aliero lamented the growing wave of insecurity but absolved the federal government of blame over funding for security operations.
He said the National Assembly had consistently approved budgetary requests by security agencies to prosecute the fight against terrorism.
The senator argued that the persistence of terrorism reflected the scale and complexity of the security challenge rather than inadequate funding.
He, however, renewed his call for the establishment of state police, saying governors should be constitutionally empowered and adequately supported to deploy local policing structures capable of responding more effectively to security threats in their respective states.
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