ILORIN — The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq over his administration’s handling of the Woro kidnapping crisis, contrasting his approach with the recent successful rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in neighboring Oyo State.
While congratulating the Oyo State Government on the safe return of the 49 abductees, the Kwara opposition party expressed deep concern that 179 residents of the Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area—who were abducted during a deadly terrorist attack on February 3, 2026—remain in captivity more than five months later.
In a statement issued by the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party attributed the successful rescue operation in Oyo State to sustained public engagement, media pressure, and the responsive leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde. The PDP praised Makinde for collaborating closely with federal security agencies and treating public criticism as a mandate to intensify rescue efforts.
Drawing a sharp contrast, the PDP accused Governor AbdulRazaq of failing to prioritize the rescue of the Woro victims, a group that reportedly includes pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children. The party lamented that the governor’s perceived inaction has left the affected communities feeling abandoned following a massacre that claimed nearly 200 lives.
“While Oyo people celebrate the return of their citizens, Kwara State is left mourning under a government that simply does not care,” the statement read.
The opposition party further condemned the Kwara State Government’s handling of public grievances. According to the PDP, peaceful demonstrators—including elderly women protesting the prolonged captivity of the Woro abductees—were recently assaulted by thugs outside the Government House in Ilorin.
This, the party noted, was in stark contrast to Governor Makinde’s direct engagement with protesters in Oyo State, where he publicly addressed demonstrators, explained the government’s rescue strategies, and assured them of the victims’ eventual safe return.
The PDP commended civil society groups, the media, and social media activists, including the Ratel Movement led by VeryDarkMan, for sustaining pressure during the Oyo crisis. Concluding the statement, the party urged Governor AbdulRazaq to treat the Oyo rescue as an urgent wake-up call and called on Kwara stakeholders to persistently demand accountability for the Woro victims still languishing in terrorist camps.