Dare Babalola
President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that ongoing efforts to secure the release of abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State will be driven by a coordinated, intelligence-led security strategy involving both kinetic and non-kinetic measures.
The President, responding to the incident following the deployment of a high-level Federal Government delegation to the affected Esiele and Yawota communities, said the administration is committed to ensuring that every available lawful instrument is deployed to achieve the safe return of the victims.
“Our rescue efforts will be intelligence-led, careful, coordinated, and sustained. We will deploy every lawful tool available, both kinetic and non-kinetic, to ensure our children and teachers are safely returned home,” Tinubu stated in a statement he signed personally on Monday.
As part of immediate interventions, the President approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in collaboration with the Oyo State Government, aimed at strengthening surveillance in vulnerable forest corridors believed to be exploited by criminal elements.
He also ordered the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify ongoing operations targeting the safe recovery of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Tinubu further disclosed that the Federal Government is giving urgent consideration to the request by affected communities for the establishment of a military base in the area, describing it as part of wider efforts to reinforce security architecture in the region.
Expressing deep concern over the incident, the President said the government shares in the anguish of families affected, stressing that schools must remain safe spaces for learning and development.
He also extended condolences to the family of Mrs Mary Oyedokun, a teacher who lost her life during the incident, assuring that her sacrifice would not be forgotten and that her family would receive government support.
The latest measures underscore the Federal Government’s intensified response to rising security concerns in parts of Oyo State, as authorities escalate rescue operations aimed at ensuring the safe return of all abducted victims.
