Many families of kidnap victims are living in despair as their relatives, predominantly women and children, continue to languish in various terrorist dens after being held hostage for several weeks or months.
From the forests of Kwara State to the insurgency-ravaged communities of Borno and the volatile hinterlands of Niger and Southern Kaduna, no fewer than 1,000 victims reportedly abducted in coordinated attacks in the first quarter of 2026 remain in captivity.
Findings showed that unlike previous patterns where abductors quickly established contact to demand ransom, families now face an agonising silence; no calls, no negotiations, no proof of life.
Silence more painful than ransom
In Woro community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, the abduction of 176 residents in early February remains one of the largest mass kidnappings recorded in recent times.
More than 50 days later, families say they have yet to hear from the abductors, although the victims, who were women and children, were paraded by their captors in a five minutes, 41 seconds viral video.
The fear is particularly intense for vulnerable victims, including pregnant women, children, and the elderly.
A community leader, Shehu Abubakar, echoed the concern, saying chances of survival were diminishing with each passing day.
“If they are in the bush without food or medicine, survival becomes very difficult. These are the questions troubling us every day.
“Our hearts are heavy every day. We don’t know whether our people are alive or dead. This uncertainty is killing us slowly,” he said.
In contrast, the situation in Omugo community has followed a more familiar pattern, with abductors reportedly demanding ₦500 million for the release of eight church members.
The President of the Omugo Development Union, Thompson Oladimeji, described the situation as devastating.
“Our hearts are heavy. Families are in anguish, the community is traumatised, and fear now defines our daily lives,” he said.
He urged the Federal and Kwara State governments, as well as security agencies, to intensify rescue operations and increase security presence across vulnerable areas.
“We need a clear and sustainable plan to prevent a recurrence of such incidents in Omugo and neighbouring communities,” he added.
Across both communities, frustration is mounting over what residents describe as the government’s slow and largely silent response.
We feel abandoned – Victims’ families
Families of the Woro victims say the absence of updates has left them feeling abandoned.
“The government is behaving as if it cannot see what we are going through; we feel abandoned,” Ajiboye lamented.
A coalition of 31 civil society organisations also raised the alarm over the prolonged captivity of the Woro victims, describing it as a serious failure of the state to protect its citizens.
“We want to specifically draw attention to the despicable circumstances under which 176 innocent citizens were held and paraded by their abductors. A situation where poorly fed and barely clothed children are exposed to harsh weather conditions is grossly condemnable,” the group said in a statement.
The coalition called for immediate rescue operations, prosecution of those responsible, and the establishment of permanent security presence in vulnerable communities.
The Kwara State Police Command said efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the victims and tackle kidnapping across the state.
300 missing in Borno
In Borno State, the story is similar, as more than 300 residents abducted from Ngoshe in Gwoza LGA during a March 4 attack by suspected terrorists remain unaccounted for.
While a few women have returned in trickles, most victims including children are still missing.
The Special Adviser on Security Affairs to the Borno State Governor, General Abdullahi Ishaq (rtd), confirmed that there was no contact with the terrorist group yet.
When asked about the official figure of the abducted persons, he said he could not comment because he had less information relating to the incident.
When contacted, the Borno State Police Command’s spokesman, Nahum Daso, said that he had no update on the number of people still held in captivity.
Captivity stretching to a year
In Niger State, the crisis has taken an even more prolonged dimension.
There have been many terrorists’ attacks and abductions particularly in Mariga, Munya and Shiroro LGAs in which the fate of captives is in the balance.
The latest incident occurred on Easter Sunday in three communities in Shiroro LGA.
Sources put the figure of abducted persons at over 40, including women and children.
Some families that managed to make part payment for the release of their loved ones were still denied their freedom, as the terrorists insisted on full payment.
It was further learnt that some of these captives had spent over one year in the kidnappers’ dens and had lost sense of time as their relatives and loved ones had ceased making efforts to help them regain their freedom.
Our correspondent learnt that some of the captives died and were buried in unmarked graves without their relatives knowing about their deaths.
A former Chairman of the Niger State Universal Basic Education, Mohammed Niworu, and the Niger State INEC Commissioner, Ahmed, were abducted in September 2025.
They were abducted in Borgu LGA along with 30 others while travelling in three separate vehicles.
A family member of the SUBEB chairman, Sofiyat, said the government abandoned them in their most trying times.
“I am short of words. I can’t believe that my brother is in the hands of the terrorists. We don’t even know whether he is still alive or dead.
“If he is dead, at least we deserve to see his corpse, but if he is still alive, the government should come to our aid and ensure his freedom. I can’t even imagine that it has been 10 months since he was abducted,” she said.
“Since that kidnap, we have not stopped praying to Allah to free him. We have also made several efforts to get the state government to intervene. Everything has been futile.
“The kidnappers were initially contacting us but they stopped after they received some money from us. They want us to pay the ransom in full. Where can we get such money?
“The whole thing is weighing me down. The federal and state governments must get involved if they actually value the lives of their employees. Joy and laughter have since left our family. We are now a shadow of ourselves, God please intervene,” Sofiyat cried
A security source in the state put the figure of those in captivity in the state at over 250, most of them travellers.
The spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the attacks across the state, but did not confirm the number of abducted persons.
He, however, disclosed that security operatives were on the trail of the terrorists.
S’Kaduna: Families left without direction
Across several affected communities in Southern Kaduna, families say the silence of abductors marks a troubling shift from previous patterns, where kidnappers typically made contact within days to demand ransom.
Findings indicate that in the first quarter of 2026 alone, hundreds of residents, mostly women and children, were abducted in coordinated attacks on rural settlements.
Many remain unaccounted for amid what observers describe as a growing trend of “silent captivity.”
597 people kidnapped
Zamfara State has experienced a high volume of kidnappings, with hundreds of residents abducted in several mass incidents, particularly targeting rural communities.
A total number of 597 people have so far been abducted in the state from January to April this year
On January 4, 2026, approximately 150 people were kidnapped during violent attacks in Tsafe town.
From January 15 to 18, there were attacks in Kaura Namoda and Tsafe LGAs, which resulted in massive displacement, with hundreds reported abducted or missing.
From January 28, at least 20-26 persons were abducted from Dausayi and other communities in Talata Mafara LGA.
By the end of January, reports indicated over 150 villagers were being held captive by bandits in forests.
On April 2, 2026, more than 150 people, mostly women and children, were abducted during a raid on Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji villages in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area of the state.
Findings reveal that most of the abducted persons are still being held or even killed by the bandits despite the payment of ransom.
The spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, Yazid Abubakar, said the police command was aware of the incident.
Abubakar promised that frantic efforts were currently being made by the police command to dismantle the bandits’ camps in the state with a view to rescuing the kidnapped victims.
The PUNCH