Militants from Boko Haram, the Nigerian terrorist group known for rejecting Western education, are threatening to kill 176 women and children kidnapped in the community of Woro, in Kwara state
They have given the Nigerian government only seven days to meet their demands, otherwise they will execute the hostages or force them into marriage.
The traditional king of Woro, Salihu Bio, whose wife is among the victims, reported that one of the captives was allowed to call family members and relay the militants’ warning.
The situation has left the community in complete despair.
“We are powerless.
They are our wives and children.
Now they threaten to kill them or force them into marriage,” lamented community leader Alhaji Musa Idris Woro.
Mothers like Hajara Usman, who had two daughters abducted, say that families gather every night, unable to sleep, only praying for their loved ones to return alive.
“We don’t sleep.
We just pray that they return alive,” she said.
In a video circulating on social media, the group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and issued what it called a “final warning” to the government.
Security analysts, such as Dr. Haruna Sani of the Abuja Security Forum, recognize the typical traits of Boko Haram in the material, although it is important to distinguish the group from other organizations such as ISWAP, Ansaru, and criminal networks purely focused on kidnappings.
Woro is a small rural village with about 2,500 inhabitants, located near the border with the state of Niger, amidst forests and wooded routes that facilitate movement to other areas.
The attackers acted in an organized manner: they raided homes and meeting points after Friday prayers, separated women and children, and took them through paths in the bush.
This indicates a well-structured plan, unlike a common crime.
This mass kidnapping is part of a growing wave of abductions in the region.
Similar attacks recently occurred in Odae Bunu, Kabba County, and at an orphanage in Lokoja, Kogi State, where 23 students and one staff member were taken.
Fifteen children were rescued, but eight remain in the criminals’ custody.
The forests in the area serve as corridors used by insurgents and bandits to move between the states of Niger, Kaduna, and others.
Security experts explain that the week-long ultimatum reflects a hybrid model: ideological terrorists who also act as bandits to obtain ransoms.
Julius Mailitafi, a security consultant based in Kaduna, estimates that large-scale kidnappings in the northwest region typically generate demands of 50 to 200 million naira (equivalent to approximately $110,000 to $440,000).
With 176 people involved, the amount could easily exceed hundreds of millions of naira.
Another expert, retired Commodore Darlington Abdullahi, notes that Boko Haram is learning from wealthier insurgent groups.
“They calculate risks and rewards, but maintain ideological terror.
This combination is extremely dangerous,” he warned.
Authorities in Kwara state claim that police forces, military personnel, forest rangers, and local vigilantes are following leads.
However, analysts fear the hostages may have already been moved along mobile routes through the bush.
Counterterrorism expert Dr. Danmusa Ibnin, from Kebbi state, advocates swift and strong action against hideouts in areas like Rijana and its surroundings.
“The threat is serious and escalating.
We need precise interventions to eliminate these militants and weaken their operations,” he said.
Fatima Abdullahi, from the Nigerian Women’s Protection Initiative, highlights the human suffering behind the numbers: “These are mothers, daughters, and entire families trapped in dens of terror.”
The community lives in anguish, waiting for security forces to prevent a mass tragedy in the coming days.
The case reveals how violence that was previously concentrated in northeastern Nigeria is now spreading to the center of the country, putting pressure on important corridors towards Abuja and increasing the risk for the entire region.
Published in 04/30/2026 05h42
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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