Abdulrazaq receives rescued Woro victims in Kwara, hails Tinubu’s security interventions

Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, at the weekend, received the rescued victims of the February attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area, describing the tragic incident as both painful and regrettable.

The victims, who were predominantly women and children, were formally handed over to the governor at the Government House in Ilorin by Nicholas Rume, Brigadier-General and Commander of the 22 Armoured Brigade, Nigerian Army.

Governor Abdulrazaq commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his swift intervention and sustained support in strengthening security across the state.

The governor disclosed that the President had approved the establishment of five Army battalions in Omu-Aran, Patigi, Ilemona, Kosubosu and Kaiama, alongside other strategic security initiatives aimed at protecting lives and property.

“It is regrettable that the Woro incident happened at all. We are grateful to God that our collective effort has paid off. Everyone has been rescued alive.

“I have directed that appropriate medical attention be provided to all the rescued victims to ensure their wellbeing. Before now, the government had extended various forms of support to Woro community through the committee established to assist in its rebuilding efforts.” the governor said.

He expressed the appreciation of the government and people of Kwara State to President Tinubu for his commitment to addressing the state’s security challenges.

“On behalf of the people and government of Kwara State, I extend our profound gratitude to the President. Each time I approached him during the height of the security crisis, he responded swiftly. He approved the deployment of 1,000 Forest Guards, while another 1,600 personnel are currently undergoing training.

“I continued to press for stronger security measures to ensure the safety of our people. Today, the Nigerian Army’s 9 Division has been established in Kwara. In addition, the 22 Armoured Brigade at Sobi is being relocated to Bode-Saadu, while five battalions have been approved for Kaiama, Patigi, Kosubosu, Omu-Aran and Ilemona.

“These interventions demonstrate the President’s seriousness in protecting Kwara and Nigeria. They will serve as a strong security shield for our State.

“We sincerely appreciate his efforts to ensure that incidents like this never happen again. This remains a deeply painful experience for us. We are still assessing the full extent of what happened. As you can see, many of those rescued are women and children, while about 46 victims are currently receiving treatment in hospital. Government will continue to do everything possible to safeguard lives and property in the State.

“This is an interim process because we do not yet have all the facts. We pray such a tragedy never occurs again.”

In his remarks, the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Umar, lamented the massacre of members of the community during the February attacks, describing the period as one of immense pain.

“For six months and four days, our people have lived in anguish. We thank Almighty Allah that we are here today. Although we lost many lives in the process, we appreciate the President for his support. We also pray that those who may still be in captivity will one day regain their freedom,” the monarch said.

Earlier, Brigadier General Rume described the rescue as a product of effective collaboration among security agencies.

“It was a sad incident, but today I am pleased to present these rescued victims to the governor. Through the combined efforts of the various security agencies, we have been able to rescue them.

“I commend all the security agencies that contributed to this operation. This is a clear demonstration of the synergy that exists among our security forces.

“As we continue the fight against insurgency and banditry, we appreciate the governor for his unwavering support, guidance and provision of logistics. We assure the people that our commitment to securing the state will not diminish.

“You will agree with me that this year has witnessed a reduction in security incidents across the state. We remain confident that we will ultimately defeat the enemies of peace.”

Also speaking, Abubakar Danladi, the Chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area, expressed gratitude over the successful rescue of the victims.

“We are highly delighted to witness the handover of our people who were kidnapped in Woro. We receive them with great joy and pray that our communities, Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole will never experience such a tragedy again,” he said.