Kwara PDP calls on AbdulRazaq to rescue 176 kidnapped victims

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to do more to free the 176 women and children kidnapped from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area. They pointed to the recent rescue of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State as a good example of what strong leadership can achieve.

The victims were taken away during a night raid on February 3, 2026. Despite military actions, government promises, and public protests, they have not been released.

The PDP made this appeal in a statement on Saturday from its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara. They also congratulated the Oyo State Government for successfully rescuing the victims after more than 50 days in captivity.

The party said this operation shows that good leadership, public involvement, and teamwork with security agencies can lead to positive results in fighting insecurity.

“The successful rescue in Oyo did not happen by accident. It happened because Governor Seyi Makinde showed true leadership, made the crisis his top priority, and worked closely with the Federal Government and security agencies,” the statement said.

The PDP believes the Oyo State Government’s response should be a lesson for Kwara. They think the 176 women and children taken during the February 3 attack on Woro community have been in captivity for over five months without enough urgency from the state government.

“Our party is worried that while Oyo people celebrate the return of their citizens, Kwara State is left mourning under a government that simply does not care,” the statement said.

“We cannot help but compare the Oyo success to the situation in Kwara, where about 176 innocent people abducted in Woro, Kaiama LGA, have been left in the kidnappers’ den since February 3, 2026.

“Today makes it exactly 158 days that these citizens have been abandoned in the forest, completely ignored by the AbdulRazaq government.”

The PDP also claimed that communities facing kidnapping and bandit attacks in Kwara feel neglected. They accused the state government of not showing enough commitment to tackling the security problem.

They further alleged that the administration has become intolerant of public criticism. They said the government punishes citizens who demand stronger action against insecurity.

“What is even more disturbing is the way Governor AbdulRazaq treats critics and ordinary citizens who speak out. Instead of fighting bandits, this administration treats anyone who points out its failures as an enemy, using state institutions to hunt down and silence dissenting voices,” Adewara stated.

The opposition party also mentioned a past protest by women from Ifelodun Local Government Area. They claimed these women were assaulted while asking for the rescue of their kidnapped family members.

“Kwarans will not forget how elderly women from Ifelodun, who were peacefully protesting and begging the government to rescue their kidnapped loved ones, were brutally assaulted and humiliated right in front of the Government House, Ilorin, while the police and security operatives watched,” the statement added.

Comparing this with events in Oyo State, the PDP praised Governor Seyi Makinde for listening to protesters and accepting public scrutiny during the rescue efforts.

“Meanwhile, in Oyo State, when protesters led by activist VeryDarkMan took to the streets, Governor Makinde did not send thugs to beat them. Instead, he joined them physically, explained the government’s efforts, and gave them his word. This shows that a determined leader sees critics as partners in progress, not as criminals to be thrown into a jail cell,” the party added.

The PDP also praised the people of Oyo State, media organizations, the Ratel Movement led by VeryDarkMan, and others for keeping pressure on authorities until the victims were freed.

“Instead of treating concerned citizens as adversaries, he acknowledged their concerns, personally engaged with protesters, explained the efforts of government, and reassured them that every necessary step was being taken to secure the victims’ freedom,” the statement said.

The PDP urged Governor AbdulRazaq to learn from the Oyo experience and make the rescue of the Woro abductees a priority.

“We challenge Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to see this development as a wake-up call and immediately rescue the Woro children and pregnant women,” Adewara said.

“We also call on all Kwara citizens, especially journalists, civil society groups, academics, and public interest groups, to rise up and demand answers from the AbdulRazaq government regarding the Woro abductees and others still trapped in bandit camps.”

Efforts to get a response from the Kwara State Government were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. Calls and text messages sent to the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, were not returned.