• Northern senators applaud security agencies on victims’ rescue

The National Chairman of Kaiama Development Association, Yakubu Salihu, has lamented that only 163 of the 176 persons kidnapped from Kaiama in Woro Local Council Area of Kwara State were released on Wednesday, with 13 people still in captivity.

Armed kidnappers had on February 3 stormed the community, killing over 100 people and abducting 176.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum (NSF), Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, has congratulated the government and people of Kwara State, particularly the Woro community, on the successful rescue of the abductees.

Speaking on behalf of the senators representing the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Yar’Adua described the rescue as a significant victory over criminality and a clear demonstration that coordinated security operations, driven by credible intelligence and community collaboration, can effectively dismantle criminal networks.

Salihu told newsmen yesterday that some pregnant women actually delivered babies in the six months of captivity. He disclosed that the freed Kwarans, presently in Niger State, would be taken back to Kwara on or before Saturday for proper health attention and for resettlement.

He explained that the limited number of security operatives currently serving the area had made it difficult to respond effectively to emergencies, stressing that a permanent military formation would strengthen security surveillance, improve response time and serve as a deterrent to criminal elements.

Consequently, “the federal government is making efforts to establish a battalion of the Nigerian Army here. As a community, we are ready to provide a suitable location and every support needed to ensure the military settles in quickly and begins operations,” he said.

Salihu also appreciated the government’s approval of the military base in the area, while urging an expedited establishment of the military base to improve security response in the area and prevent a recurrence of similar attacks.

In a statement yesterday, the northern senators also praised the gallantry, professionalism and synergy displayed by the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the military, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and local vigilante groups, noting that their combined efforts were instrumental in securing the victims’ safe release.

The forum also commended President Bola Tinubu for providing the political leadership and strategic support that strengthened the operational capacity of the security agencies in responding swiftly to the incident.

According to the forum, the successful operation reinforces the need for sustained investment in intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration and community-based policing as critical tools for tackling insecurity across the country.

However, the forum expressed sadness at the lives lost during the unfortunate incident and extended its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, while urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue partnering with the security agencies with credible information.