At least 25 kidnap victims, among the 176 residents of Woro and Nuku communities of Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State, who were abducted in February this year by armed bandits, have died and are buried in bandits captivity.

One of the 163 victims released last Wednesday who revealed the situation said three people were also bitten by snake.

DAILY POST recalls that over 300 kidnap victims of Kwara and Niger States were rescued by joint security forces on Wednesday after over six months in bandits captivity.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Commissioner for Communication, Bolanle Olukoju, said the rescued victims would be reunited with their families after their medical examinations.

In a chat with a BBC correspondent in Ilorin, Olukoju disclosed that 163 rescued victims from Woro community were received by the state government.

Asked if ransom was paid by the government before their release, the commissioner said Nigerian security forces rescued them, adding that “the most important thing is that the victims gained their freedom.”

She also said two women gave birth while in captivity and returned with their babies without any proper medical care.

A Catholic seminarian and other worshippers abducted by gunmen at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, Affa, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, have been released.

DAILY POST reported that the victims were kidnapped during a church service on Sunday morning when gunmen invaded the church.

The development was announced by social media influencer, Sen Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, in a Facebook post on Sunday.

Ugwuanyi said the victims were released from captivity following sustained efforts by security operatives and local authorities to track down the kidnappers.

He commended Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, for his intervention, saying the governor had given the kidnappers a “tough fight” since the abduction occurred.

According to him, the Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, in Enugu State, the governor’s aide-de-camp and the Chairman of Udi Local Government Area, Ogbonnia Agu, were part of the team that pursued the kidnappers.

“To God be the glory. Those our brothers that were kidnapped in a Catholic church at Affa have been released from captivity,” Ugwuanyi wrote.

He added that the sustained pressure on the kidnappers eventually forced them to release the victims.

The victims had been abducted alongside a catechist and another worshipper.

The catechist was reportedly released shortly after the attack, while the seminarian and another victim remained in captivity.

As of the time of filing this report, the Enugu State Police Command has not issued an official statement on the release.

Troops of Sector 3, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), have intercepted 55 cows and arrested a 13-year-old herder following separate reports of alleged farm destruction in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The development was contained in a post shared on X by security analyst Zagazola Makama on Saturday night.

According to the report, the troops responded to a distress call at about 5:20 p.m. on August 8 over the alleged destruction of a farm belonging to a resident, Yusuf John, in Miango, Bassa LGA.

The troops reportedly arrived at the farm and found 55 cows grazing on the farmland.

The herder allegedly fled after sighting the security personnel, while the troops moved the cattle to a safe location for further necessary action.

In a separate incident at Jebbu Miango, also in Bassa LGA, the troops responded to another report of alleged farm destruction involving a farmer identified as John Isaiah.

“During the operation, the troops arrested a 13-year-old herder identified as Ibrahim in connection with the incident.

“The teenager was taken into custody as investigations continue to determine what happened and establish his involvement in the alleged destruction of the farm,” Makama wrote.