Thousands of Nigerians in terror dens as kidnappers go silent, families left in agonising limbo

More than 1,000 Nigerians abducted in coordinated attacks across the country in early 2026 remain trapped in terrorist camps, as a disturbing new pattern emerges — abductors vanishing without a trace.

From Kwara to Borno, Niger, Zamfara and Southern Kaduna, families say the silence is more devastating than ransom demands, leaving them suspended between hope and grief, reports Saturday PUNCH.

Silence Worse Than Death

In Woro, Kwara State, where 176 women and children were seized in February, families say over 50 days have passed without a single call from their captors.

Their only proof of life is a chilling viral video showing the victims in captivity.

“We now pray for the kidnappers to call,” said Ajike Ajiboye, who has two relatives among the abducted.

“This waiting is worse than mourning. At least when someone dies, you bury them. Here, you don’t even know what to feel.”

Another relative, Abubakar Umar, described daily life as psychological torture.

“No calls, no messages — nothing. It’s as if they vanished. There are pregnant women and children there. How do they survive in the bush?”

Community leaders warn survival chances are shrinking by the day.

A Nation of Missing People

The crisis stretches far beyond Kwara.

In Borno State, over 300 residents abducted from Ngoshe remain unaccounted for weeks after a deadly March attack.

In Niger State, some victims have spent nearly a year in captivity, with reports of deaths and secret burials in the forests.

In Zamfara, at least 597 people were kidnapped between January and April alone.

Across Southern Kaduna, entire communities are grappling with what residents now call “silent captivity.”

For many families, the kidnappers’ silence has shattered even the possibility of negotiation.

“We don’t know if they are alive or dead,” said one father whose wife and children were taken.

“If they ask for money, we will sell everything. But now — what do we do?”

Ransom Without Rescue

Where contact exists, demands are crushing.

In Omugo, kidnappers are demanding N500 million for eight church members.

In Kaduna, families are being asked for millions of naira and even motorcycles — payments many say they cannot afford.

Worse still, some families who paid part ransom say their loved ones were never released.

“We Feel Abandoned”

Across affected states, anger is mounting over what residents describe as weak and slow government response.

“We feel abandoned,” Ajiboye said bluntly.

Civil society groups have also condemned the prolonged captivity of victims, calling it a failure of the state to protect its citizens.

Security agencies insist operations are ongoing, but for families, the silence is deafening.

Children, Women Pay the Price

Beyond the abducted, entire households are collapsing.

Children are dropping out of school. Women have become sole providers. Communities are raising orphaned children whose parents are missing, not dead.

“We now have children growing up without parents because they are missing,” a Kaduna community leader said.

“That trauma does not go away.”

Terrorists Claim Religious Conversion

In the viral Woro video, the abductors made another chilling claim — that the victims had been converted to Islam.

“We taught them Islam… they now understand it,” a voice said, as frightened captives recited religious responses on camera.

One female victim made a desperate appeal:

“We have small children, pregnant women and sick people here. We need urgent help.”