Abuja: The Kaiama Development Association (KDA) and the Batombu Unity and Development Initiative Abuja (BUDIA) have raised alarm over worsening insecurity in Kaiama and Baruten Local Government Areas of Kwara. The groups urged for the immediate rescue of more than 170 persons abducted by terrorists in the state. The groups said sustained terrorist and bandit attacks had killed many, displaced thousands of residents, and crippled farming activities across the old Borgu axis.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, addressing a news conference in Abuja, KDA Vice Chairman, Prof. Umaru Semo, expressed concerns over the unfolding humanitarian crisis, stating that the communities could no longer remain silent. He highlighted that Kaiama and Baruten, which occupy more than half of Kwara’s landmass, have remained the state’s food basket despite decades of neglect. Semo emphasized the lack of direct road access to Ilorin, forcing residents to travel through Oyo or Niger states to reach their own capital.
Community records indicate that over 500 people have been killed across Kaiama, Baruten, and neighboring Borgu since January 2026. Semo reported that terrorists killed over 200 residents in Woro and neighboring Nuku on Feb. 3 before abducting more than 170 women, children, and other residents. He lamented that nearly six months have passed without meaningful information or sustained rescue efforts for the victims.
Semo detailed the repeated deadly attacks on Tungan Maje, Kemanji, Karonji, Sekugbe, Kenugbe, and Yashikira, noting the invasion of the Emir of Yashikira’s palace where his wives and children were abducted. He warned about the establishment of terrorist sanctuaries around the Borgu Game Reserve, which has forced farmers off their lands, exacerbating food insecurity. He expressed concerns that the violence is evolving into a mix of terrorism and organized banditry, potentially linking to terrorist groups operating across Nigeria and the wider Sahel.
He emphasized the urgency of coordinated action to prevent the region from becoming another insurgency theater. Semo also expressed concern about the potential obscurity of the crisis due to preparations for the 2027 general elections. He called for the immediate rescue of all abductees and sustained military operations to dismantle terrorist camps within the Borgu Game Reserve.
Semo urged for humanitarian assistance, reconstruction of destroyed communities, restoration of livelihoods, and rehabilitation of strategic roads linking Kaiama and Baruten to Ilorin. He welcomed the Federal Government’s approval of a new Nigerian Army division for Kwara, viewing it as a positive step. He stressed the need for constitutional guarantees of security, dignity, and equal citizenship.
Former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Bio Ibrahim, attributed the situation to years of neglect and underdevelopment, urging President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to secure the release of the 176 abductees. Member representing Baruten/Kaiama Federal Constituency, Mr Omar Mohammed, demanded the unconditional rescue of the abductees and emphasized the need for security, justice, and protection under the Constitution.
Dr Hussaini Abdu, CARE International Country Director, described Kaiama and Baruten as one of Nigeria’s worst cases of exclusion and humanitarian neglect. He urged for governmental action to protect every Nigerian irrespective of ethnicity or geographical location. Mrs Asaburu Aminat, Public Relations Officer of the BUDIA Women Wing, appealed for the immediate rescue of women and children, highlighting the suffering endured by nursing mothers, pregnant women, and children in captivity.