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Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have released a video showing 176 abducted residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, intensifying concerns over the spread of insurgent violence beyond Nigeria’s North-East. The victims, according to the footage, include women, children and a nursing mother.
Ejes Gist News reports that the video, circulated online and obtained by local media platform SaharaReporters, shows armed men believed to be members of Boko Haram interrogating dozens of captives arranged in rows. The group, formally known as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, has waged an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009.
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What the Video Shows
In the footage, one of the armed men asks the captives to state their place of abduction. Three women, speaking in Hausa, identify Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area as the location where they were seized.
Watch The Video
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WATCH: Boko Haram Parades Over 100 Abducted Victims In Kwara Community, Accuses Nigerian Government Of Propaganda pic.twitter.com/L7ToDcOPiY
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) February 14, 2026
The video depicts scores of women and children standing under guard. Several appear visibly distressed. Some of the children are barefoot and inadequately clothed, suggesting exposure to harsh conditions.
One of the insurgents, speaking in the recording, accuses the Kwara State Government of understating the scale of the abduction. He claims authorities publicly stated that between 20 and 30 persons were kidnapped, while insisting that 176 individuals remain in their custody.
“The Kwara State government lied to Nigeria and to the whole world,” the armed man alleges in the footage.
As of press time, the Kwara State Government had not issued an official statement responding directly to the claims made in the video.
Background: February 4 Attack on Woro Community
The emergence of the video follows a February 4, 2026 attack on Woro community, during which suspected terrorists reportedly carried out a coordinated assault.
Residents and local sources said dozens of people were killed in the violence. Those reportedly killed include two wives of the Emir of Woro, several of his children, the Chief Imam of the community, a school principal, a headmistress and students who had returned from school.
The Emir of Woro, Alhaji Saliu Bio Umar, remains unaccounted for. Community members have expressed fears that he may have been abducted during the raid. His official vehicle was reportedly taken by the attackers and allegedly used to transport some of the victims. The palace was also set on fire.
Videos recorded after the incident show buildings destroyed by flames and residents surveying the damage.
Alleged Motive and Insurgent Links
Local sources allege that the attackers are affiliated with a Sadiku-led faction of Boko Haram believed to maintain operational ties across parts of the Sahel region. Security analysts have previously documented splinter factions within Boko Haram, including groups that operate beyond Nigeria’s North-East corridor.
Residents of Woro community said tensions had escalated months before the February 4 attack. According to community accounts, armed elements had attempted to compel residents to attend sermons and adopt extremist doctrines.
The Emir was said to have resisted these demands and alerted security agencies to the group’s activities. Community members allege that the refusal to comply may have triggered the large-scale assault.
Security Implications for Kwara State
Kwara State, located in Nigeria’s North-Central region, has not historically been considered a primary theatre of Boko Haram operations. However, security experts have warned of the geographic expansion of insurgent networks and the emergence of new operational corridors.
The video’s claim of 176 abductees, if verified, would represent one of the largest mass kidnappings reported in the state in recent years.
Authorities have yet to release comprehensive casualty figures or confirm the number of abducted residents. Security agencies have not publicly detailed ongoing rescue operations related to the Woro incident.
The development raises fresh questions about intelligence coordination, rural community protection, and the capacity of local security architecture to respond to insurgent threats outside traditional conflict zones.
