President Bola Tinubu has empathised with the families of teachers and pupils abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, saying no parent should be forced to live through the trauma and uncertainty of such kidnapping.
Top Society recalls that bandits on May 15 abducted about 39 students and seven teachers across three schools in Ahoro Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire LGA.
During the attack, an assistant headmaster and a motorcyclist were killed. Days later, one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded by the kidnappers, triggering nationwide outrage.
In separate videos posted on Instagram, principal of Community High School, Esiele, Rachael Alamu, who is one of the abductees, said the kidnappers had threatened to kill another victim, urging authorities to urgently negotiate their release.
Today, academic activities were crippled across public schools in Oyo State as teachers complied with a nationwide directive from the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to embark on a peaceful protest over the Ahoro Esiele abduction.
The demands of the protesters include: safer roads and communities, protection for farmers, traders and students, as well as justice and improved security across Oyo state.
Reacting via a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, Tinubu said the Federal Government was intensifying efforts to secure the safe return of the victims, while stressing that schools must remain places of safety for children.
The presidential intervention comes as pressure mounts on security agencies and government authorities to secure the release of the victims and restore confidence in the safety of Nigeria’s education system.
“I share the pain and anxiety of the affected families. No child should be taken from the safety of a classroom. No parent should have to endure this anguish,” he said.
As part of ongoing rescue efforts, Tinubu announced the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to strengthen operations aimed at freeing the abducted teachers and pupils.
“I have also directed the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts to secure the safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers,” he stated.
The president further disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in collaboration with the Oyo State Government after a high-powered federal delegation visited the affected communities of Esiele and Yawota.
According to him, the request by residents for the establishment of a military base in the area is also receiving urgent attention.
“The communities’ request for the establishment of a military base in the area is receiving urgent consideration,” Tinubu said.
