Terrorists released seven construction workers they abducted from a Kwara State road project after nearly two months of captivity.
Security agencies and state officials orchestrated the workers’ freedom on February 9, 2026, marking a rare victory amid escalating violence in Nigeria’s north-central region.
The victims, including two engineers employed by the Ministry of Works, endured weeks of uncertainty since terrorists seized them on December 15, 2025, while they labored on the Sabaja–Owa-Onire Road in Isin Local Government Area.
Terrorists stormed the construction site around 11:40 a.m. that day, kidnapping the group in broad daylight and sparking immediate alarm among families and communities.
Initially, the attackers demanded a staggering ₦500 million ransom, contacting relatives and pressuring them to pay up or risk the workers’ lives.
Families pleaded publicly for government intervention, fearing their loved ones might “die in silence” from hunger and harsh conditions in the terrorists’ hideout.
However, coordinated action shifted the tide. Kwara State Commissioner for Works and Transport Abdulquawy Olododo announced the release in a statement, crediting Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s “firm political will” in combating insecurity.
Security forces, including soldiers, tracked and pressured the terrorists, leading to the workers’ safe return without official confirmation of any ransom payment or military raid details.
Meanwhile, this breakthrough contrasts sharply with recent horrors in Kwara.
Just days earlier, on February 3, terrorists massacred over 160 people in Woro village, Kaiama Local Government Area, burning homes and looting shops in retaliation for counterterrorism operations.
Analysts link the surge to groups like Lakurawa, who flee U.S.-backed strikes in neighboring areas and target communities resisting their ideology.
Additionally, families expressed profound relief upon reunion.
One relative described the ordeal as “a nightmare that tested our faith,” while social media erupted with prayers and questions about the terrorists’ fate.
Public figures, including federal lawmakers, urged stronger measures to dismantle terrorist enclaves and protect vulnerable workers.
Nevertheless, experts warn that kidnappings remain rampant, with construction sites increasingly vulnerable.
Governor AbdulRazaq vowed to enhance patrols and community intelligence to prevent future attacks, emphasizing unity against terror.
In the end, this release offers hope, but it underscores the urgent need for sustained federal support to curb the spread of violence in Kwara and beyond.
