By Ola Taiwo
Relief swept across Oyo State and beyond at the weekend as pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in Orire Local Government Area regained their freedom after spending 56 days in captivity.
The successful rescue of the victims, who were kidnapped on May 15 after gunmen invaded Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities, was first disclosed by Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on his verified X account where he confirmed that security agencies successfully secured the release of all the captives.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” Onanuga wrote on his verified X account.
The victims of the abduction included 39 pupils and seven teachers among whom is a school principal. Their abductors also killed a teacher, Joel Adesiyan, who was shot while attempting to escape, and another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, who was slain in captivity.
Throughout the ordeal, the kidnappers reportedly demanded the release of detained terrorist commanders, ransom payments, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related laws before the victims could be freed. However, the Oyo State Government though not inclined to negotiate with the kidnappers did not seem to keep quiet or fold its arms on the fate of the victims while the federal government appeared to be perfecting strategies for the rescue of the people before the feat was finally achieved.
President Bola Tinubu described the rescue as a major victory for Nigeria’s security architecture, praising the military, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force and other agencies for carrying out what he called a coordinated intelligence-driven operation.
“I am profoundly happy that our security forces successfully rescued the abducted pupils and teachers after a military, police and intelligence-driven operation that neutralised some of the terrorists and led to the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers,” the President said.
He also assured Nigerians that justice would be served.
“My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered,” Tinubu pledged.
The President directed relevant emergency agencies to provide medical treatment, psychological care and rehabilitation for the rescued pupils and teachers while urging the Oyo State Government to strengthen security around schools.
Governor Makinde, during his visit to the rescued victims at the 2 Division Nigerian Army Medical Facility, where they are receiving treatment expressed delight at their release.
“I am very happy that the children are back. We give glory to God and appreciate our troops, the officers and men who played a significant role in securing their release,” he said.
The governor assured the victims that his administration would continue to provide medical attention and psychological support to aid their recovery while mourning security personnel who lost their lives during the operation.
The Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, in whose domain the kidnapping happened also visited the victims and described their testimonies as heartbreaking.
“Listening to their testimonies was deeply emotional. Their account of life in the bush revealed the unimaginable hardship they endured. No human being deserves such cruel and inhumane treatment,” the monarch said.
He commended the Federal Government, Oyo State Government and security agencies for their commitment, while saying that the safe return of the victims was a reminder that “God still answers prayers.”
Providing insight into how the rescue was achieved, the Nigerian Army disclosed that weeks of sustained military pressure, intelligence gathering and coordinated arrests across Oyo State and other parts of the country disrupted the kidnappers’ network and forced them to release the captives unconditionally.
According to the Army, troops worked alongside the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, local vigilantes and hunters during the operation.
The military said although some security personnel paid the supreme sacrifice, the operation was carefully executed to ensure the safety of the pupils and teachers.
The Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who doubles as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, while speaking on behalf of the forum congratulated the victims and their families and commended the security agencies for what he described as exemplary professionalism.
“We are especially proud of the commitment and professionalism of our security forces throughout the operation. We are confident that this impressive multi-agency collaboration will yield more successes as the security forces continue to neutralise threats and rescue citizens still in captivity,” the governor said.
The forum also appealed to Nigerians to continue to support security agencies with credible and timely intelligence to strengthen the fight against kidnapping.
However, the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) used the Oyo rescue to re-examine the situation about kidnapping in Kwara State asking Governor Abdulrazaq to ensure that similar efforts that led to Oyo success are deployed to secure the release of victims abducted from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area since February this year.
The opposition party while congratulating Oyo State and the rescued families lamented that many abducted residents of Woro community were still being held by kidnappers.
“The successful rescue in Oyo did not happen by accident. It happened because Governor Seyi Makinde showed true leadership, made the crisis his top priority and worked closely with the Federal Government and security agencies,” the party stated.
The PDP urged the Kwara State Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of those still in captivity while calling on journalists, civil society organisations and community leaders to sustain advocacy for victims of kidnapping across the state.
