iDeemlawfulThe seven construction workers abducted from a Kwara State Government road project have regained their freedom after spending weeks in captivity.
The workers were kidnapped on December 15, 2025, while working on the Sabaja–Owa-Onire Road in Isin Local Government Area, an incident that triggered widespread anxiety among residents and the victims’ families.
Confirming their release in a statement issued on Monday in Ilorin, the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Olajide Abolarin, said the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Abdulquawy Olododo, disclosed that the workers were freed through coordinated efforts involving the state government and security agencies.
Olododo described the development as a major boost to public safety initiatives in the state, commending Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for what he described as strong political resolve in tackling insecurity.
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He further revealed that two of the abducted workers were engineers employed by the Kwara State Ministry of Works, noting that their experience highlighted the dangers faced by personnel engaged in public infrastructure projects.
“We are grateful to His Excellency and to the security agencies. We also appreciate everyone who stood by us in these trying times,” the commissioner said.
The abduction had earlier attracted public concern after families of the victims raised alarm over what they described as slow rescue efforts, alleging that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N500m.
Earlier reports quoted the families’ spokesperson, Dare Boyinbogun, as saying on December 29, 2025, that gunmen invaded the construction site around 11:40am and abducted several workers along with their driver.
“Since that moment, our lives have been suspended between hope and despair. They demanded the sum of N500 million from us. How are we going to raise that?” Boyinbogun said.
He emphasised that the victims were ordinary workers contributing to Kwara State’s development, lamenting that their families endured fear, hunger and emotional hardship during the period of captivity.
The families had appealed to the state government and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts, an appeal that has now been answered with relief following the safe return of the abducted workers.