Bandits responsible for the February 3 attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have claimed custody of 176 kidnapped individuals, contradicting earlier figures released by the federal government.

In a viral video circulated on Saturday by Sahara Reporters, dozens of female captives and minors were seen gathered in an open field, while an unidentified masked speaker questioned them about their abduction.

The speaker asked the victims where they were taken from, which local government, and which state. The captives responded in unison: “From Woro,” “Kaiama,” and “Kwara.” When asked how many were held, two women replied, “176.”

The masked individual then accused the federal government of misrepresenting the scale of the abduction, claiming: “You can see that your infidel government lied to people that you are not more than 30.”

Reacting to the video, the Bolanle Olukoju, Kwara State Commissioner for Communications, said the government is working closely with security agencies and other stakeholders to verify the footage.

“The Kwara State Government is deeply concerned over the disturbing video released by terrorists earlier today, allegedly showing some persons taken during the tragic February 3 attack on Woro community,” Olukoju said.

She added: “Our thoughts remain with all the families affected, and we reaffirm our commitment to securing the safe return of all those impacted.

Government officials and security agencies are carefully analysing the video to establish the identities of the individuals shown.”

The commissioner noted that, since the incident, “there have been varying accounts regarding the number of persons abducted,” highlighting ongoing efforts to ascertain accurate figures and respond appropriately.