Police Reject 176-Abduction Claim As Kwara Families Await Captives

Police in Kwara State have rejected the claim that 176 residents were abducted during the attack on Woro and neighbouring Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area.

Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo said the figure did not come from an official security record, although he acknowledged that some residents were taken away during the attack.

The police position conflicts with accounts from affected families and community leaders, who have continued to appeal for stronger rescue efforts months after the February attack.

Daily Trust reported that families in Woro and nearby settlements say about 176 people remain missing nearly six months after the attack, including relatives of the village head of Woro.

Punch reported that Ojo said residents who watched a video of abducted persons could identify only a small number of victims and that police could not confirm the widely circulated figure.

The dispute leaves families in a painful position: relatives say their loved ones are still in captivity, while police say the exact number being repeated publicly has not been authenticated.

The story follows renewed attention on rescue operations after abducted Oyo schoolchildren and their teachers were freed, raising fresh questions from Kwara families still waiting for news.

Sources: Punch, Daily Trust