KEY POINTS

• Woro Kidnap victims spent nearly six months in captivity in Kwara State.
• The abductees allege a helicopter delivered money to kidnappers.
• Government says the victims were rescued without ransom.

Some victims abducted from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have reportedly given an account of their release that differs from the Federal Government’s claim that they were rescued by security forces without any ransom payment.

According to a relative of some of the freed woro victims, two members of his family said they saw a helicopter arrive at the kidnappers’ hideout while they were still in captivity and that money was delivered to the abductors.

The account, reported by SaharaReporters, has raised fresh questions about how the woro victims were eventually released after spending almost six months in the hands of their captors.

The relative said he recently visited some of the people who were freed and spoke with them about their experience in captivity.

According to him, two of his family members were surprised when they heard government officials describe their release as a security operation in which no ransom was paid.

The relative said the two woro victims told him that a helicopter came to the location where they were being held several days before their release.

They reportedly saw money being taken from the helicopter and handed over to the kidnappers.

The woro victims allegedly said they were not allowed to go close to the money, as their captors stopped them from approaching the area.

The relative claimed the incident happened about four or five days before the abductees were eventually released.

“They said a helicopter came while they were in captivity and money was brought to the kidnappers,” the relative reportedly said.

The account could not independently establish who brought the money, how much was involved or whether the payment was connected to the eventual release of the hostages.

Government says victims were rescued

The claims come shortly after Nigerian authorities announced the release of more than 300 people who had been held by terrorists and kidnappers.

President Bola Tinubu described the operation as the country’s largest single-day hostage rescue operation.

The government said the victims were freed through an intelligence-led operation carried out by security agencies.

Among those released were 163 people who had been abducted from Woro during an attack on the community in February.

Another 145 victims, many of them from neighbouring Niger State, were also reportedly freed during the wider operation.

The Presidency praised the military and other security agencies involved in the operation and presented the development as a major success in the fight against kidnapping and terrorism.

The Woro abduction was one of the major kidnapping incidents that affected communities in the area.

During the attack on Woro and nearby Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, 176 people, mainly women and children, were reportedly taken into the forest by terrorists.

After the security operation, 163 victims were officially brought out and handed over to the authorities.

Reports from the survivors said 13 of those taken during the attack died while in captivity.

The victims had reportedly spent almost six months in difficult conditions in the forest before their release.

Despite the government’s account of the operation, the fresh claims from the victims have raised questions about whether money was paid to the kidnappers before their release.

The Federal Government has said the victims were rescued through a security operation and that no ransom was paid.

However, the relative’s account suggests that at least two of the former captives believe they personally witnessed money being delivered to their abductors shortly before they were released.

The claim does not, on its own, establish that the government paid the money or that the payment was responsible for the victims’ release.

It also remains unclear who may have delivered the alleged money, who received it and whether it was connected to any negotiation.

There has been no independent confirmation of the relative’s account from the victims themselves, the security agencies or the Federal Government.