The seven construction workers abducted from a Kwara State Government road project have been released after weeks in captivity.
On December 15, 2025, the workers were abducted while performing construction work along the Sabaja–Owa-Onire Road in the Isin Local Government Area. The incident caused a great deal of concern among the locals and the victims’ families. The workers were kidnapped on December 15, 2025, while carrying out construction work along the Sabaja–Owa-Onire Road in Isin Local Government Area, an incident that sparked widespread concern among residents and families of the victims.
Olajide Abolarin, the press secretary for the Ministry of Works, confirmed their release in a statement released in Ilorin on Monday. He said that Abdulquawy Olododo, the state commissioner for works and transportation, had disclosed that the workers were freed as a result of concerted efforts by the security forces and the state government.
Olododo praised Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his “firm political will” in addressing insecurity and called the development a major boost to the state’s public safety efforts.
He added that two of the kidnapped employees were engineers working for the Kwara State Ministry of Works, and that their experience highlighted the dangers that employees engaged in public infrastructure projects face.
“We express our gratitude to the security agencies and His Excellency. Additionally, we are grateful to everyone who supported us during these difficult times,” the commissioner stated.
Public attention had previously been drawn to the kidnapping after the victims’ families expressed concern about what they said were sluggish rescue efforts and claimed that the kidnappers had demanded a N500 million ransom.
As previously reported by The PUNCH, on December 29, 2025, Dare Boyinbogun, the families’ spokesperson, told reporters that the gunmen had broken into the construction site at approximately 11:40 a.m. and forcibly removed a number of workers along with their driver.
Our lives have been teetering between hope and despair ever since. They asked us to pay them N500 million. In what way will we raise that? “Boyinbogun said.”
He emphasised that the victims were regular labourers who helped Kwara State grow, and he bemoaned the fact that their families had to endure emotional anguish, hunger, and terror while they were in captivity.
Following the safe return of the kidnapped workers, the families have expressed relief that the state government and security forces will step up rescue efforts.
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