HURIWA urges FG to rescue 176 abducted Kwara residents and calls on President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency over rising terror attacks.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately secure the release of 176 residents allegedly abducted by terrorists in Kwara State.
In a strongly worded statement, the rights advocacy group urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Kwara State, citing what it described as a collapse of governance and worsening insecurity across rural communities.
HURIWA alleged that terrorists circulated a disturbing video showing 176 abducted victims including women, children and a nursing mother reportedly taken from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
According to the group, “Isn’t it a big shame that the Kwara State government allegedly claimed that only few citizens were kidnapped whereas the terrorists have reportedly played video evidence to disprove this poor propaganda put up by Kwara state government and these terrorists have claimed based on video evidence that over 176 citizens were violently kidnapped by terrorists?”
The association further questioned government response to the crisis, stating: “Are government officials both in Kwara and the federal government of Nigeria not ashamed that terrorists are operating freely wherever they chose to operate in Nigeria? This is tragically shameful.”
HURIWA argued that the deteriorating security situation in Kwara warrants urgent federal intervention.
“The truth is that there is no functional government right now in Kwara state,” the group stated, accusing the state leadership of lacking “workable modalities, strategic approaches and efficient measures to protect the good people of Kwara state.”
HURIWA maintained that “with the killings of over 300 citizens this year alone in Kwara state, we think it is time that President Tinubu should impose a state of emergency and put security infrastructure in place to decimate, degrade and destroy the terrorists.”
It added that the president’s “most important task is to ensure the safe return of the 176 citizens kidnapped by terrorists and are being kept in intolerable situation of emotional, psychological and cruel physical torture by the terrorists.”
HURIWA referenced media reports alleging that suspected Boko Haram terrorists, formally known as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, released a video disputing the Kwara State government’s official figures.
In the footage, one of the terrorists reportedly accused the state government of misleading Nigerians and the international community, insisting that 176 victims were in their custody contrary to official claims that between 20 and 30 persons were abducted.
“The Kwara State government lied to Nigeria and to the whole world,” the terrorist was quoted as alleging in the video.
The group described the visuals as distressing, noting that women and children appeared visibly traumatised and in harsh conditions.
In the statement signed by Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, National Coordinator of HURIWA, the organisation stressed that protecting lives and property remains the government’s primary constitutional responsibility.
“Protecting lives and property of the good people of Nigeria is the fundamental legal obligation of the government and consistent failures to arrest the tides of cruel killings in massive scale of citizens by terrorists and armed non-state actors in Nigeria is absolutely appalling, despicable and condemnable,” HURIWA stated.
The group insisted that those responsible for the abductions and killings must face justice, warning that allowing terrorists to operate without consequences undermines national stability.
As of the time of filing this report, Kwara State Government authorities had not issued an official response to HURIWA’s latest demands.
