PDP Urges Kwara Governor to Secure Release of 176 Abductees, Points to Oyo Success Model

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to intensify efforts to rescue 176 women and children abducted from the Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area. The opposition party pointed to the recent successful rescue of kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers in neighboring Oyo State as a blueprint for responsive leadership in times of security crises.

The victims, consisting largely of women and children, were taken during a night raid on the Woro community on February 3, 2026. Despite ongoing military operations, government assurances, and several public demonstrations, the abductees have remained in captivity for over 150 days.

In a statement released over the weekend by the Kwara PDP State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, the party congratulated the Oyo State Government on securing the release of its citizens after more than 50 days in captivity. The PDP argued that the successful operation in Oyo was the result of deliberate leadership, sustained public engagement, and close collaboration with federal security agencies. The party noted that Oyo’s administration made the crisis a top priority rather than allowing it to drag on indefinitely.

The PDP sharply criticized the Kwara State administration for what it described as a lack of urgency regarding the Woro abductions, contrasting it with the active public engagement seen in Oyo State, where leadership openly engaged with civil society advocates and protesters. Furthermore, the opposition accused the Kwara State Government of being intolerant of public feedback, referencing a previous protest by elderly women from Ifelodun Local Government Area—who were demanding the rescue of their kidnapped relatives—alleging they faced harsh treatment from security personnel outside the Government House in Ilorin.

Concluding the statement, the PDP urged Governor AbdulRazaq to adopt a more proactive and collaborative approach, treat the Woro abduction with the highest level of administrative urgency, and work closely with federal security apparatuses to secure the state’s border communities. Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Kwara State Government were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, remained unanswered at the time of reporting.