Many families of kidnap victims are living in despair as their relatives, predominantly women and children, continue to languish in various terrorist dens after being held hostage for several weeks or months.
From the forests of Kwara State to the insurgency-ravaged communities of Borno and the volatile hinterlands of Niger and Southern Kaduna, no fewer than 1,000 victims reportedly abducted in coordinated attacks in the first quarter of 2026 remain in captivity.
Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that, unlike previous patterns where abductors quickly established contact to demand ransom, families now face an agonising silence; no calls, no negotiations, no proof of life.
Silence more painful than ransom
In Woro community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, the abduction of 176 residents in early February remains one of the largest mass kidnappings recorded in recent times.
More than 50 days later, families say they have yet to hear from the abductors, although the victims, who were women and children, were paraded by their captors in a five minutes, 41 seconds viral video.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Abubakar Umar, a relative of multiple victims, described the situation as a psychological torment.
