Thirteen children died in captivity after being abducted during a February attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, rescued victims have disclosed.

The victims were among 176 people abducted during the February 3 attack and were released on Wednesday after spending months in captivity.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq received the rescued victims at a private location in Ilorin on Friday and commiserated with the families of those who died.

The victims described harsh conditions in captivity, including inadequate food and limited access to medical care.

A nurse and daughter of the community’s chief, who was among those rescued, said she assisted 10 pregnant women to deliver their babies during the period.

She said she helped the women give birth without proper medical equipment while the captives struggled with inadequate food.

The nurse also disclosed that 12 women and children remained in captivity after the latest release.

The rescued victims appeared weak when they met with the governor, with some subsequently taken to hospital for treatment.

AbdulRazaq later visited a general hospital where 14 rescued victims were receiving medical attention, including three women who gave birth while in captivity.

The governor thanked President Bola Tinubu and the military for their roles in securing the victims’ release.

Brigade Commander Major General Nicholas Rume also commended the cooperation among security agencies involved in the rescue operation, saying the collaboration contributed significantly to its success.

The attack on Woro and Nuku on February 3 resulted in the mass abduction of residents and displacement in the communities.

UNICEF, in a humanitarian situation report issued in March, said 176 women and children were abducted during the attack and estimated that about 17,000 people were affected by the violence and subsequent displacement.

The abduction drew attention to the security challenges confronting communities in parts of north-central Nigeria, where armed groups have increasingly targeted rural settlements and carried out mass kidnappings.

The latest rescue operation also involved victims abducted in other incidents across Kwara and neighbouring Niger State. The Presidency said more than 300 people were rescued during the operation, including 163 victims from Woro.

The Kwara government has continued to provide medical attention to some of the rescued victims, including women who gave birth during their captivity.