From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The successful rescue of 49 abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State has triggered a fresh political exchange in Kwara State.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is accusing the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, of failing to secure the release of victims abducted during the February attack on Woro community, while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insists that coordinated rescue efforts are ongoing.
In a statement issued by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, the Kwara PDP congratulated the Oyo State Government and Governor Seyi Makinde, over the release of the schoolchildren and teachers after 51 days in captivity.
The opposition party described the rescue as evidence of “responsive leadership,” saying sustained public engagement, media pressure and collaboration with security agencies contributed to the victims’ freedom.
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Drawing a comparison with Kwara, the PDP alleged that about 179 victims, including pregnant women, nursing mothers and children abducted during the February 3, 2026, attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area, had remained in captivity for months without sufficient government action.
“Our party is worried that while Oyo people celebrate the return of their citizens, Kwara State is left mourning under a government that simply does not care. We cannot help but compare the Oyo success to the situation in Kwara, where about 176 innocent people abducted in Woro have been left in the kidnappers’ den since February 3, 2026,” the party stated.
The PDP further accused the AbdulRazaq administration of failing to adequately address insecurity across the state and criticised what it described as the government’s response to citizens who expressed concern over the security situation.
It also commended the media, civil society groups, residents of Oyo State and activist VeryDarkMan for sustaining advocacy until the abducted schoolchildren regained their freedom.
The party urged Governor AbdulRazaq to treat the rescue in Oyo as “a wake-up call” and intensify efforts to secure the release of the Woro victims and others still in captivity across the state.
However, the Kwara APC, dismissed the allegations as “reckless and misleading,” accusing the PDP of exploiting the plight of kidnapping victims for political advantage.
In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Babatunde, the ruling party said Governor AbdulRazaq had consistently prioritised security since assuming office in 2019 through investments in logistics, intelligence gathering and support for security agencies.
According to the APC, the governor convened emergency security meetings following recent attacks in parts of the state, leading to intensified joint security operations, increased surveillance and the deployment of additional personnel to vulnerable communities.
The party also disclosed that the governor engaged the Presidency and security chiefs, resulting in the deployment of additional federal security assets, including a military battalion, to strengthen operations in affected areas.
“Unlike the PDP that plays politics with human lives, the AbdulRazaq administration’s approach to every rescue operation is guided by one principle: the safe return of victims. For that reason, certain operational details cannot and will not be discussed in the media,” the APC stated.
It maintained that several kidnapping victims had already been rescued through discreet security operations, stressing that publicising sensitive operational details could jeopardise ongoing rescue efforts.
The APC further argued that comparing rescue operations in different states was misleading because each security situation required different operational strategies.
While reaffirming its support for Governor AbdulRazaq and security agencies, the party urged residents to remain calm, stay vigilant and continue to provide useful information that could assist security operatives in tackling insecurity across the state.
