I watched kidnappers kill eight captives over ransom payment – Kwara farmer

• A farmer in Kwara State says he witnessed kidnappers execute eight captives after their families failed to pay ransom.

The farmer, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said he was abducted alongside other victims and held in a forest in the state before managing to escape.

According to him, the abductors demanded ransom from the families of those kidnapped. When the money was not paid on time, he said the gunmen shot eight of the captives.

“I watched them kill eight people because their people could not raise the money they asked for,” he said. “They told us that if ransom does not come, more people will die.”

He said he escaped during the confusion and walked for hours before getting help from residents in a nearby community.

*Insecurity in Kwara*  

Kwara has seen a rise in kidnapping cases in recent months, with attacks reported in rural communities and along highways in the northern and central parts of the state.

Security agencies have not yet commented on this specific incident. 

The Nigeria Police Force and NSCDC in Kwara said they are working with local vigilantes to secure flashpoints and rescue other victims.

Residents have called for increased patrols and intelligence gathering to curb the wave of abductions, which they say is forcing farmers to abandon their farms.