Kwara State reunites 146 Woro kidnap victims with their families after 21 days of rehabilitation, distributing ₦80 million in cash support as 13 people remain in captivity.
Kaiama, Kwara State — August 29, 2026
The Kwara State Government has distributed ₦80 million in cash support to 146 victims of the February 3 Woro kidnap attack, reuniting them with their families on Friday after 21 days of rehabilitation in Ilorin.
Victims received tiered payments based on age: adults got ₦1 million each, youths ₦500,000, and children ₦200,000, intended to help them restart their lives following months in captivity. Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi Danladi, Chairman of Kaiama Local Government and of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), announced the support during a reception at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama, describing the victims' return as a great and memorable occasion for the community.
Danladi commended President Bola Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for securing the victims' rescue and rehabilitation, noting that 146 of the freed captives had now been reunited with their families, while three others remained in hospital receiving treatment.
Not everyone has made it home, however. Ahmed Ibn Ahmed, Chairman of the Intervention Committee between the Government and Woro Community, disclosed that 13 people remain in captivity, and appealed to the government to intensify efforts to secure their release.
He also urged authorities to strengthen security in communities bordering the national park, arguing that criminal elements have been exploiting the park's terrain to operate with relative impunity, and called for the restoration of electricity to Woro and other communities still without power.
The Village Head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Saliu, welcomed the victims' return as good news for the community but stressed the need for sustained psychological support to help survivors overcome the trauma of their ordeal.
He commended the government for beginning reconstruction of shops burnt during the attack, saying it would help revive economic activity in the area, and separately appealed for support for farmers who fled the community and lost their livelihoods amid repeated attacks.
Among the rescued victims, Mariam Ayuba said she was overjoyed at her freedom and planned to use the cash support to revive her salon business, which had collapsed during her captivity.
Another survivor, Amira Saliu, described being reunited with her family after six months in captivity as almost indescribable, saying she intended to use the funds wisely and move forward with her life.
Residents of Woro and Kaiama turned out en masse to welcome the victims home, with scenes of dancing, drumming, and tearful embraces marking the reunions.
The Woro community attack of February 3 killed more than 100 people and saw 176 people abducted, making it one of the deadliest incidents in the state's recent history.
The victims were rescued on August 5, a development this outlet covered as it happened, with today's cash disbursement and family reunification marking the next phase of their recovery, even as the fate of the remaining 13 captives remains unresolved.
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