The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the Oyo State Government on the rescue of 49 abducted schoolchildren and teachers, saying the operation exposed Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s alleged failure to tackle insecurity in Kwara.

The opposition party also lamented that 179 residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area, abducted during a terrorist attack on February 3, 2026, remain in captivity after more than five months.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the PDP described the Oyo rescue as the result of sustained public engagement, media pressure and what it called the responsive leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde.

The party said Makinde demonstrated responsible leadership by treating public criticism as a call to intensify efforts to secure the victims’ release.

Contrasting the development with the situation in Kwara, the PDP accused Governor AbdulRazaq of failing to prioritise the rescue of the Woro victims, including pregnant women, nursing mothers and children, who were abducted during an attack that also claimed nearly 200 lives.

According to the party, the governor’s perceived inaction has left affected communities feeling abandoned.

“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.

The PDP argued that the successful rescue in Oyo reflected Governor Makinde’s close collaboration with the Federal Government and security agencies, while accusing the Kwara administration of lacking similar commitment and urgency.
The party also criticised the state government’s handling of public protests, alleging that peaceful demonstrators, including elderly women protesting over the Woro abductions, were assaulted by thugs outside the Government House in Ilorin.

It contrasted this with Makinde’s engagement with protesters in Oyo, saying the governor met demonstrators, explained the government’s efforts and assured them that everything possible was being done to secure the victims’ release.

The PDP commended the people of Oyo State, the media, civil society groups and the Ratel Movement led by social media activist VeryDarkMan for sustaining pressure until the abductees were rescued.

It urged Governor AbdulRazaq to treat the Oyo rescue as a wake-up call and intensify efforts to secure the release of the Woro victims and others still being held by kidnappers.

The party also called on journalists, civil society organisations, academics and other stakeholders in Kwara to continue demanding accountability over the fate of those still in captivity.