*We Will Not Give In To Terror, 25 Students, Seven Teachers Abducted, Makinde Declares
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Monday, May 18, condemned the “barbaric” killing of one of the abducted teachers from Esiele community in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, when rescue operation was underway, vowing that the bandits and all their local collaborators will be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.”
Recall that gunmen had attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and LA Primary School in Ogbomoso, all in Oriire Local Council of Oyo State, on Friday, May 15, killing two persons and abducting at least 45 schoolchildren, a principal and teachers, who were taken to unknown destinations.
Videos emerged on social media on Sunday, May 27, showing the abducted principal and a teacher pleading with the federal and state government to ensure their release.
Tinubu, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, condemned the beheading of the teacher by the abductors.
The President, while sympathising withGovernor Seyi Makinde, the government and people of the state over the incident, assured that security operatives were “working around the clock” to rescue the victims and arrest the bandits and their collaborators within the community, in collaboration with the state government.
Onanuga quoted Tinubu as saying: “I commend the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioners of Police in Oyo and Kwara states for their quick intervention and deployment of a tactical and the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) team to rescue the victims.
“The IGP, following my instructions, is personally leading the tech-driven operation. We expect a breakthrough soon. The bandits and all their local collaborators will be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Cases of kidnapping further make imperative the establishment of State Police to man some of our underserved areas. The National Assembly should accelerate the enactment of the law creating state police.”
Makinde has earlier declared that his administration will not surrender to terror or bow to intimidation, insisting: “We will not give in to terror. We will do everything possible to ensure that our children and their teachers are returned safely.”
Speaking to journalists in Ibadan on Monday, the governor said the state government remained committed to exploring every lawful means to secure the release of the abducted students and teachers, adding: “So, whatever it is they demand, we are ready to listen to them and address the ones we can address as a state government.
“But the children and their teachers must be released immediately.”
Makinde described the situation as “fluid and difficult,” saying security agencies were conducting coordinated operations to rescue the victims and urged residents to support security efforts by providing timely and credible information, noting: “If you see something strange, say something, and expect us to do something.”
One of the kidnapped teachers of Community High School in Ahoro-Esinele, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in a new video allegedly released by bandits on Sunday after being tied and forced to identify himself, raising concerns over the safety of the remaining victims and thrown the community into mourning.
Oyedokun’s killing was confirmed by Makinde’s Special Adviser on Media, Suleimon Olanrewaju, in a statement on Monday, saying the governor extended his condolences to the victim’s family, reassuring thathis administration would explore both kinetic and non-kinetic options to rescue others still being held by the kidnappers.
Olanrewaju added that Makinde also sympathised with the family members of the tactical team of soldiers, Amotekun Corps and local vigilantes who lost their lives in the rescue operation when they ran into Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by the abductors.
He disclosed that some suspects had been arrested in connection with incident and appealed to the victims’ relatives, religious bodies and other interested parties to exercise patience, promising that the government will rescue and reunite the victims with their families.
The governor added: “So, please, there may not be quick fixes, but we will continue to endeavour to push ourselves to the limit to resolve this quickly.
“What we know right now is that seven teachers in all were abducted. And, unfortunately, we got a video this morning that one of the teachers, I understand, the Mathematics teacher, was killed by the terrorists.
“From the information available from the commissioner of Police, about six individuals have been arrested within the locality. Some of them, we believe, are perhaps informants or people running logistics for the terrorists.
“Also, three individuals of interest have been arrested by another security outfit within the state.” Meanwhile, Makinde has expressed his government’s readiness to listen to the demands of abductors to secure the safe release of the captives.
He told journalists at his private residence in Kolapo Ishola Estate, Ibadan: “We have now conclusively confirmed that at the Community Secondary School, seven students were abducted, while at the First Baptist Primary and Nursery School, 18 children were abducted alongside seven teachers.
“Unfortunately, as I reported yesterday, one of them was killed.
“I will, therefore, appeal for responsible reporting, because this is not about sensationalism; it involves human lives.
“We have set up an operational centre at the Police headquarters here. The commissioner of Police will coordinate the situation room and provide the required information.
“We will do everything possible to ensure that our children and their teachers return safely.
“These are not foreigners; they are our people. Whatever their demands may be, we are ready to listen and address the ones we can as a state government.
“The children and their teachers must be released without delay.”
