Kwara Attack: Residents Identify Relatives as Bandits Release Video of Captives

Bandits have released a video showing 176 abducted residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Residents have confirmed the authenticity of the footage and identified family members among those held captive.

The development comes days after mass burial was conducted in the community following a deadly attack that left scores dead and many others missing.

The footage, seen by Daily Trust, showed dozens of women and children gathered in a forest under the watch of the armed men.

Many appeared frail and traumatised, their clothes worn and soiled, with some children barefooted, while nursing mothers clutched infants in tense silence.

In the recording, the captives were questioned in Hausa about where they were seized.

One after another, the women responded that they were abducted from Woro community in Kaiama.

“We were kidnapped in Woro,” one woman said, while another added that they were seized from their community in Kaiama.

The gunman filming the group accused the government and authorities of downplaying the magnitude of the abduction.

He claimed that contrary to official figures suggesting that between 20 and 30 persons were taken, the number of captives was far higher.

According to him, authorities misled Nigerians and the international community about the true scale of the incident.

The Chief Imam of Woro, Salihu Bio Umar, confirmed the authenticity of the video, saying he recognised members of his household among those displayed.

“Yes, the video is true. They are our people,” he told Daily Trust. “I was able to identify my family. My wife was the one at the front in the footage. You can see her holding a child and my daughter.”

He added that the abductors had yet to establish contact with the families.

“Before now, they have not reached out to us for anything,” the village head said.

Another resident, Dr Abdul Woro, also confirmed the development, stating that the number of captives shown in the video aligns with the community’s records.

“Yes, the bandits have released a video of all the kidnapped victims, 176, and we know all of them,” he said.

Dr Abdul added, “They said they wanted to clarify the number against the figures the government announced.”

According to him, the gunmen insisted the abduction involved far more than the 26 earlier cited in official statements and counted the victims on camera to demonstrate their claim.

“They even counted the victims themselves to arrive at the number to show they are serious,” he said, adding that residents are gradually returning to the town.

The latest revelation comes amid grim burial updates from the community following the deadly attack.

Daily Trust had earlier reported that residents compiled names of more than 100 missing persons after the assault, while mass burials were conducted for scores of victims.

The Village Head of Woro, Alhaji Salihu Bio Umar, had disclosed that 37 Muslim victims were buried on Thursday in addition to 75 earlier interred, with another body discovered on Saturday.

He also confirmed 21 Christian corpses, eight Togolese nationals and eight Hausa victims from Zakirai.

He explained that because Muslims and Christians maintain separate cemeteries, figures were initially recorded independently before being harmonised.

“Over 100 persons were still missing and believed to have been kidnapped,” he said, noting that he was directed by the Emir to compile a comprehensive list of those abducted.

Meanwhile, Dr Abdul Woro revealed that three additional bodies were discovered.

“We saw two burnt bodies inside a house that was set ablaze and another body in the forest,” he said.

He added that the smell of decomposing bodies lingered in parts of the surrounding forest as search efforts continued.

Although security operatives remain stationed in the area, much of the community has been deserted before now, with residents fleeing over fears of renewed attacks.

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