Residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have raised alarm after suspected Boko Haram fighters reportedly issued a one-week ultimatum to the Nigerian government to secure the release of 176 abducted women and children or face mass execution.
Community members and families of the victims told SaharaReporters that the abductees delivered the message after a Jumu’ah prayer session held with their captors on Friday.
According to them, one of the victims was allowed to contact her family on Saturday and confirmed that all the abductees were alive. She also said the captors had been teaching them Arabic and Islamic studies.
A community source said the captors accused the government of not taking negotiations seriously, claiming they were spending resources to keep the victims. The militants allegedly warned that if no agreement is reached within one week, they would begin forcing some of the girls into marriage and kill others they consider “unimportant.”
Residents say the threat has heightened fear in the community, with families of the abducted living in distress as the deadline approaches.
Earlier reports indicated that the victims were shown in a video released by the captors in April, appearing weak and pleading for rescue. In the footage, an armed man claimed responsibility for the abduction of residents from Woro and nearby Kososo communities, saying the victims had been “indoctrinated.”
The group had also previously demanded a ransom of N20 million per victim, but negotiations reportedly stalled as the Kwara State Government refused to meet the demand.
Families of the abducted say they are increasingly worried about the survival of their loved ones, especially children and pregnant women, as captivity continues under harsh conditions.