Civil society organizations in Kwara State have urgently requested the release of 176 women and children who are believed to be in the custody of kidnappers in Woro and Nuku communities located in the Kaiama Local Government Area.
The coalition, known as the Kwara State Civil Society Organisations, has termed the current situation a serious security crisis.
They reported that over 200 individuals were killed in recent violent incidents affecting these communities.
According to Daily Trust, this alarming development emerges amidst increasing concerns regarding insecurity in Northern Kwara, especially in border areas that are particularly susceptible to armed incursions and abductions.
In a statement released in Ilorin and endorsed by Musa Aliyu of the Media Advocacy and Technologies Centre, along with 16 other organizations, the civil society groups expressed their worries about the deteriorating security environment within the state.
The organizations alleged that the abducted victims had endured more than 15 days in captivity and were recently displayed by their captors under dire conditions.
The statement criticized the “exposure of poorly nourished and inadequately clothed children to severe weather conditions.”
They labeled this development as “extremely condemnable and utterly unacceptable.”
Referring to Section 14 subsection 2(b) of the amended 1999 Constitution, which emphasizes that the safety and well-being of citizens should be the principal aim of government, the organizations pressed the authorities to act swiftly and decisively.
“Governments at every level must ensure all measures are taken to safeguard citizens wherever they reside. The residents of Woro and Nuku require urgent assistance,” the statement stated.
Among their four critical demands, they urged the Kwara State Government to fulfill its obligations and mobilize all necessary resources to secure the release of the abducted individuals.
They called for the apprehension and prosecution of those responsible for the “crime against humanity” and urged the government to increase security forces in Woro and Nuku to avert further attacks.
The group also insisted on creating comprehensive and sustainable rehabilitation programs for survivors, emphasizing that relief efforts should extend beyond temporary measures.
“The people of Woro and Nuku deserve the right to their freedom,” the organizations declared.
They insisted they would not remain silent until the kidnapped victims are set free and implored the state government to act with urgency.
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