Hundreds of youths and residents of Kaiama Local Government Area have staged a peaceful protest demanding the rescue of 176 persons abducted during a deadly attack on Woro community nearly six months ago.

The demonstrators said the victims had spent 171 days in captivity and urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure their release and curb rising insecurity in the area.

Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, the protesters marched from the town’s main roundabout through the Emir of Kaiama’s Palace to the Divisional Police Headquarters, before ending at the local government secretariat.

Speaking for the organisers, Abdulhameed Abubakar said the protest was aimed at drawing government attention to the prolonged captivity of the victims and the lack of progress in securing their release.

He also called for increased security presence across communities in Kaiama and urged President Bola Tinubu to fulfil his reported pledge to deploy an army battalion to the area.

The protesters further demanded the de-gazetting of Kainji Lake National Park, which they alleged had become a hideout for terrorists and criminal groups.

The Village Head of Woro, Umar Bio Salihu, whose wife and child remain among the abducted, made an emotional appeal to authorities to act swiftly.

“We want our people back. We are pleading with the government to bring them home as quickly as possible,” he said.

Also speaking, the National President of the Kaiama Development Association, Yakubu Salihu, described the situation as devastating, noting that the community felt neglected compared to responses to similar incidents elsewhere.

He added that insecurity persists in the area, alleging that kidnappers recently collected about ₦40 million ransom from residents of Venra community.

Chairman of the State Intervention Committee on the Woro and Nuku attacks, Ahmed Ibn Muhammed, urged the government to give the same level of attention to the Woro victims as seen in other rescue operations across the country.

He also identified poor road infrastructure as a major challenge to effective security operations in the area.

Representing women, Hajia Hauwa Mohammed said fear has gripped communities since the attack, with kidnappings and killings continuing across the region.

Responding, the Divisional Police Officer, Afiz Nafiu, assured residents that security agencies were making efforts to secure the victims’ release.

“Security agencies are not sleeping over the Woro case. Efforts are ongoing to ensure the victims return safely,” he said, urging residents to remain calm as operations continue.