By HAGHER KAASE AKUTAH

25 Children Dead, 12 Missing Into Terrorists’ Ranks: The Human Cost of Six Months in Captivity

A Rescue That Came With a Heavy Toll

THE return of hundreds of kidnapping victims to Kwara State has brought relief to families and authorities, but revelations about what happened during their six months in terrorist captivity have cast a dark shadow over the rescue.

A lawmaker in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Saidu Baba-Ahmed, said 25 children among those abducted from communities in Kwara, Niger and Kebbi states died while in captivity and were buried in the forest.

He also disclosed that 12 youths who were abducted opted to join the terrorists’ ranks and were therefore not among those released.

The disclosures provide a disturbing insight into the human cost of prolonged captivity in Nigeria’s forests, where armed groups have increasingly used kidnapping not only as a source of income but also as an instrument of coercion, recruitment and control.

From a Community Attack to a Six-Month Ordeal

The victims were among those abducted when armed terrorists attacked Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on 3 February.

The attack left scores of residents dead and sent hundreds of others into captivity.

The abductors reportedly moved the victims into forest locations stretching across parts of Kwara and Niger states, leaving families uncertain about their fate for months.

For relatives, the ordeal was not simply a prolonged wait for ransom demands or negotiations. It was a period of uncertainty in which there was little reliable information about whether their loved ones were alive, injured, starving or being forced to participate in criminal activities.

The eventual release therefore represented a major breakthrough, but it also exposed the extent of the losses suffered during captivity.

25 Children Did Not Make It Home

According to Baba-Ahmed, 25 children from Kebbi, Kwara and Niger states died while in the terrorists’ custody.

Some, he said, died while being moved through the forest and were buried there.

The revelation transforms the narrative of the rescue from a simple success story into a humanitarian tragedy.

For families waiting for children to return, the rescue operation has therefore produced both reunion and grief.

The deaths also underscore the particular vulnerability of children in prolonged captivity. Removed from their homes, schools and communities, they were exposed to harsh conditions in remote forest locations where access to medical care, adequate food and other basic necessities was severely restricted.

Twelve Youths Remain With the Terrorists

The lawmaker also said 12 youths were not among those released after they volunteered to join the terrorists’ army.

According to his account, the terrorists asked the abducted youths who wanted to join their ranks, and 12 accepted.

The development raises a separate security concern.

Beyond the immediate objective of abducting civilians for ransom or other forms of leverage, terrorist groups can use prolonged captivity as an opportunity to recruit, indoctrinate and expand their manpower.

The 12 youths therefore remain both victims of the original abduction and potential participants in the violent networks that took them captive.

Their fate illustrates one of the most dangerous consequences of prolonged insecurity: captivity can become a pathway through which armed groups replenish their ranks.

176 Victims Came From Kwara

Baba-Ahmed said 176 of the abducted victims were from Kwara State, with 163 subsequently regaining their freedom.

Fifteen others, he said, remained missing.

The figures reveal that even after the release operation, the crisis is far from over for many families.

For those whose relatives remain missing, the rescue has not brought closure. Instead, it has created another phase of uncertainty as families await information about their whereabouts and condition.

The disparity between those rescued and those still unaccounted for also illustrates the difficulty authorities face in establishing the full number of victims involved in large-scale terrorist kidnappings.

Women Returned With Babies

Another revelation by the lawmaker has raised questions about what happened to women during their captivity.

He said none of the women who returned was pregnant at the time of their release, although two women who had been abducted while pregnant returned with babies.

He said the women told authorities that their abductors did not sexually assault them.

The accounts are among the many details authorities must carefully document as the survivors undergo medical and psychosocial assessments.

The presence of babies born during captivity further demonstrates how prolonged abduction can fundamentally alter the lives of victims, creating consequences that continue long after physical freedom has been restored.

Survivors Receive Medical Care

Following their release, the victims were transported to Ilorin, where 46 were reportedly receiving medical attention.

The Kwara State Government was said to have assumed responsibility for their immediate welfare and medical assessment before their eventual reunification with their families.

The victims were initially received at the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division, Sobi Barracks, in Ilorin before being moved to an undisclosed location where they spent the night.

Their return followed sustained military and security operations in the forests where the abducted persons were being held.

A Military Breakthrough, But Not the End

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the February attack as tragic and regrettable while receiving the victims from the Commander of the 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Nicholas Rume.

The governor also commended President Bola Tinubu for his response to the security crisis and disclosed that the President had approved the establishment of five Army battalions in Omu-Aran, Patigi, Ilemona, Kosubosu and Kaiama.

The proposed military presence is intended to strengthen security coverage across communities vulnerable to attacks.

For residents of Kwara and neighbouring states, however, the effectiveness of such measures will ultimately be judged by whether they prevent another Woro.

Rescue Must Be Followed by Recovery

The return of the victims marks a significant operational achievement, but freeing captives is only the first stage of recovery.

Survivors of six months of captivity may face trauma, physical illness, disrupted education, loss of livelihoods and difficulty reintegrating into their communities.

Children who spent months away from school and family life may require sustained educational and psychosocial support.

Families of those who died or remain missing require information, assistance and, where possible, accountability.

The 25 children who did not return from the forest therefore represent more than a statistic. Their deaths are a reminder of the devastating human consequences of terrorism and the enormous responsibility that remains after the headlines about a successful rescue have faded.

The Unfinished Security Challenge

The Woro abductions demonstrate how quickly a community attack can evolve into a prolonged humanitarian crisis.

Hundreds of people were taken. Some died. Others remain missing. Twelve youths were reportedly absorbed into the terrorists’ ranks, while survivors returned requiring medical attention and reintegration.

The immediate priority may have been securing their freedom. The next challenge is ensuring that communities do not again become vulnerable to mass abductions.

That will require sustained intelligence gathering, military presence, community-based security mechanisms, protection of vulnerable rural settlements and effective coordination among security agencies.

For the families who finally saw their loved ones return, the rescue brings relief.

For the families who received devastating news, and for those still waiting, the Woro tragedy remains unfinished.