* Families cry out as terrorists reject N155m ransom for 176 abductees
By Itopa Lawal
An intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) has led to the elimination of three suspected bandits and the rescue of nine of their victims during a fierce gun battle in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The victims included farmers seized from their farmlands and others who had earlier been abducted in neighbouring Ekiti State.
They regained their freedom after the kidnappers were forced to flee under heavy gunfire, abandoning their captives.
The operation, which also involved the Kwara State Forest Guards, local hunters and vigilantes, was carried out in the Obbo Aiyegunle, Ejiu Ora and Osi axis of Ekiti LGA bordering Ekiti and Kwara states.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of Ekiti LGA, Prince Dada Sunday, confirmed the operation.
He said intelligence gathered by security agencies led to the successful rescue mission.
Sunday said the kidnappers, numbering more than 10, had assembled victims abducted from different locations before they were overwhelmed by the security operatives.
He disclosed that one of the victims sustained serious head injuries after he was cut with a machete while resisting abduction.
One of the rescued victims, Umaru Muazu of Obbo Aiyegunle, recounted their ordeal, saying armed men suddenly emerged and seized him and his son.
“They came from nowhere and pointed a gun to my head. Four of them took me and my son. They also took my friend’s motorcycle before marching us into the bush,” he recounted. Another rescued farmer, Ibrahim Danga, said the victims had been held captive before security operatives arrived and engaged the kidnappers.
A member of the Kwara Forest Guards, Owolabi Adebayo, confirmed that the operation was intelligence-driven.
In a similar development almost six months after scores of residents were seized by terrorists in Kwara State, relatives of the victims have said hope of securing their freedom through negotiations has faded after kidnappers allegedly turned down over N155m raised by the communities.
The families, who accused the authorities of failing to end the prolonged captivity, said they now feared for the lives of the 176 abductees following fresh threats allegedly issued by the gunmen.
In an emotional appeal contained in a video on Thursday, community leaders said residents had emptied their savings, sold valuables and organised mass contributions to meet the kidnappers’ demand, but the effort collapsed when the money was allegedly rejected.
The development, they warned, had left hundreds of families in limbo, with many uncertain whether their relatives would ever return home.
Speaking on behalf of the affected communities, Abdul Ibrahim said the situation had deteriorated after the kidnappers allegedly threatened to execute some of the captives while keeping others as wives.
According to him, every option available to the communities had been explored, including public protests and direct negotiations, without producing the release of a single victim.
“We contributed more than N155 million because we believed it would bring our people home. Instead, the money was rejected and the suffering has continued.
“Our appeal now is to the Federal Government, the Kwara State Government and the security agencies. We have reached the point where only a decisive government intervention can save these people,” Ibrahim said.
He alleged that the abductors had warned that some female captives would be forced into marriage, describing the message as one that had thrown families into deeper fear.
The Dan Sardaukin Kaiama, Suleiman Bukata, said the recent rescue of abductees in neighbouring Oyo State had strengthened the belief that a similar operation could free those still trapped in terrorists’ camps in Kaiama.
Bukata urged security agencies to launch an intensive operation in the affected communities, saying the victims had remained in captivity for too long.
“No Nigerian community should be left to face this kind of tragedy alone. If people could be rescued elsewhere, our people should not be forgotten,” he said.
Recall that the victims were carted away on February 3 when armed assailants launched what many observers describe as a “massacre” on Woro and neighbouring Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, leaving scores of residents dead.