Activist Commends DSS, Military for Rescue of Kwara Abduction Victims in Woro
- Activist Usman Okai Austin praised the DSS, military, and local vigilantes over the release of residents kidnapped from Woro community in Kwara State
- The rescued victims, abducted during an attack on Kaiama LGA, arrived in Ilorin after spending several months in captivity
- Okai also backed the prosecution of a retired DSS officer linked to the proscribed IPOB, calling it a necessary step for security sector accountability
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A Kogi-born activist and co-convener of Nigerians United Against Terror, Usman Okai Austin, has praised the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, alongside the military hierarchy and local vigilante groups, for securing the release of residents abducted from the Woro community in Kwara State.
In a statement sighted by Legit.ng on Friday, August 7, in Abuja, Okai said the rescue represented a significant breakthrough and credited it to strong intelligence work, effective coordination among security agencies, and the involvement of local security assets on the ground.
Source: Twitter
The victims were seized during a violent attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. They were released after spending several months in captivity and have since arrived in Ilorin.
Okai Urges Against Politicising Security
Okai cautioned Nigerians against turning national security into a political issue, calling on citizens to cooperate with and support security agencies for the collective good of the country. He said the success of the Woro rescue operation showed what could be achieved through seamless collaboration between formal security institutions and community-level actors.
In a separate remark, Okai also commended the DSS leadership for taking steps to enforce internal discipline within its ranks, pointing to the arraignment of retired DSS officer Ihechimere Ezeakolam as evidence of that commitment.
Retired DSS Officer Remanded Over IPOB Links
Ezeakolam was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja following a ruling by Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court. He faces four counts relating to alleged support for and involvement with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Okai described the prosecution as a necessary move to protect the integrity of Nigeria's security architecture. He went further to urge the military and the Nigeria Police Force to adopt similar internal accountability frameworks, arguing that doing so would improve transparency and strengthen operations against banditry and insurgency across the country.
He added that holding security personnel to strict professional standards would build public confidence in the institutions and raise the overall quality of service among personnel.
Hello hails Tinubu on fight against insecurity
Previously, Legit.ng reported that former Kogi state Governor Yahaya Bello on Friday met with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja, using the occasion to commend President Bola Tinubu for progress made in tackling insecurity across Nigeria.
Bello pointed to two recent incidents as evidence that the administration's security approach is working: the foiling of an attempted abduction of schoolchildren in Kogi State, and the rescue of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo state.
Source: Legit.ng
