The Kwara State Government on Friday reunited 146 victims of the Woro community kidnapping with their families after 21 days of rehabilitation.
The government also provided cash support to the victims, with adults receiving N1 million each, youths N500,000 each and children N200,000 each to enable them to rebuild their lives after the trauma.
Abubakar Abdullahi Danladi, the Chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area and Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kwara State chapter, disclosed this in Kaiama during a ceremony to celebrate the return of the victims at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama.
Danladi described the return of the victims as a great and memorable occasion for the people of Woro and Kaiama Local Government Area.
He commended President Bola Tinubu and Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for their efforts towards securing the safe return and rehabilitation of the victims.
According to him, the state government had done well by keeping the victims in rehabilitation for 21 days in Ilorin before reuniting them with their families.
He said 146 victims had been reunited with their families, while three others were still receiving treatment in hospital.
“We want to specially thank Gov. AbdulRazaq for the cash support. Adults received N1 million each, middle-aged youths received N500,000, while children received N200,000 each to support them to start again and settle well,” he said.
Danladi urged members of the public to support and encourage the victims, noting that they needed collective assistance to fully recover from the trauma.
He also stressed that security was everybody’s responsibility, urging residents, village heads and other stakeholders to support security agencies and promptly report suspicious persons or movements in their communities.
Umar Saliu, the Village Head of Woro, Alhaji Umar Saliu, described the safe return of the 146 victims as good news for the community.
Saliu called for sustained support for the victims to regain their mental strength and overcome the psychological effects of their ordeal.
He commended the state government for commencing the rebuilding of shops burnt during the attack, saying the development would help revive economic activities in the area.
The traditional leader also appealed to the government to support farmers who had fled the community because of persistent attacks.
“Agriculture is our mainstay. Our farmers have lost everything. The government should please support them with assistance to start again,” he said.
Ahmed Ibn Ahmed, the Chairman of the Intervention Committee between the Government and Woro Community, said 13 people were still in captivity, appealing to the government to intensify efforts to rescue them.
Ahmed said more than N80 million in cash support had been distributed to the rescued victims.
He also appealed to the government to strengthen security in the area, particularly in communities sharing boundaries with the national park.
According to him, criminals were taking advantage of the national park, making it necessary for the government to strengthen security around the area.
He further appealed to the government to restore electricity to Woro and other communities still without power supply.
One of the rescued victims, Mariam Ayuba, expressed delight over her freedom and thanked the governor for the financial support.
She said she would use the money to revive her salon business, which had been crippled following her ordeal.
Another victim, Amira Saliu, said she was extremely happy to reunite with her family and friends after spending six months in captivity.
“I can’t express my feelings. I am so happy that I have lost words. I thank Almighty Allah for my safety and the governor for the support.
“I will use the money wisely and plan myself. I will try to forget the experience and move on with my life,” she said.
Residents of Woro and Kaiama trooped out en masse to receive the victims amid dancing, drumming and jubilation.
Many residents embraced their relatives and friends, shedding tears of joy as they welcomed them home.
Woro community was attacked on Feb. 3, with 176 people reportedly abducted. The victims were subsequently rescued on Aug 5.
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