Makinde Makes Promises To Rescued Oyo Pupils, Teachers

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has assured pupils and teachers rescued after spending 56 days in captivity that terrorism and kidnapping would not be allowed to disrupt their education or careers.

Naija News reports that Makinde gave the assurance on Monday while formally receiving the abductees rescued from Oriire Local Government Area at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.

The governor said the state would provide comprehensive medical, psychological and educational support to help the victims recover and return to their normal lives.

He added that his administration would engage the management of the affected schools to determine the most appropriate interventions, despite one of the institutions being privately owned.

Makinde said, “The Oyo State Government will do everything possible to ensure there is no disruption to your careers as teachers and no interruption to the education of the affected pupils.

“We will continue to support you throughout this recovery period.”

Oyo To Engage Baptist School

Makinde acknowledged that the Baptist school involved in the incident was not owned by the state government but promised that this would not prevent the administration from assisting its pupils and teachers.

“Although the Baptist school involved is not a government-owned school, we will engage with its management to determine the best way forward,” he said.

The governor described the rescue operation as evidence of the results security agencies could achieve through effective coordination and a common purpose.

According to him, the joint response mounted after the May 15 abduction distinguished the incident from similar attacks recorded in other parts of the country.

Makinde said, “Incidents like this have happened in different parts of the country, but when it happened in Oyo State, the response was different.

“All the security agencies worked together with one goal, to secure the safe return of the teachers and the pupils.”

The governor expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for supporting the rescue effort and maintaining oversight of the operation.

He also commended the military and other security agencies for their commitment and sacrifices during the search for the abductees.

The Governor further stated, “On behalf of the Government and the good people of Oyo State, I sincerely thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the support given to ensure the success of this operation.

“I also appreciate the leadership of all the security agencies in Nigeria.”

Makinde said the state had officially assumed responsibility for the rescued pupils and teachers following their handover by the military.

He disclosed that they would remain under medical supervision for another 24 to 48 hours before being reunited with their families.

Makinde added, “We now officially take responsibility for the rescued teachers and pupils.

“We will provide every necessary assistance and support to help you recover fully.”

‘We Don’t Negotiate With Terrorists’

Giving details of the operation, the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife, said the military refused to submit to the demands of the abductors.

He said the operation went beyond freeing the victims, as security agencies also sought to dismantle the network responsible for the attack.

“As I have consistently maintained, we will never yield to the demands of terrorists. We will not, and we never will,” Nnebeife said.

The GOC explained that the rescue evolved into an intelligence-led campaign across Oyo, Adamawa, Kano and other parts of the country.

Security operatives, he said, tracked the suspected masterminds, informants and logistics channels connected to the abduction.

“Our primary objective was to identify the terrorist kingpins responsible for masterminding the crime, dismantle their network, and cut off their logistics and informant structures within Oyo National Park and beyond,” he said.

Nnebeife disclosed that security forces eventually identified and blocked the terrorists’ major logistics channel, placing them under sustained pressure.

He said the disruption forced the abductors to indicate that they were prepared to release the victims without conditions.

Nnebeife further stated, “That action placed enormous pressure on the terrorists, leading them to indicate their willingness to release the captives unconditionally.

“However, our objective extended beyond securing the release of the victims. We remain committed to eliminating terrorist operations in that region and, indeed, across the country.”

The GOC revealed that one officer and one soldier died during the operation, while another soldier sustained serious injuries.

He said the victims were rescued on the same day one of the fallen officers was buried in Adamawa State.

Nnebeife said, “On the very day we buried the fallen officer in Adamawa State, we successfully rescued the victims later that evening.

“We salute the ultimate sacrifice made by our personnel. Their courage and bravery will never be forgotten.”

He added that Tinubu requested daily reports from those coordinating the rescue mission.

“The President personally requested daily updates, asking those coordinating the mission to report directly on developments from the field,” he said.

Nnebeife also commended Makinde for remaining in contact with security authorities throughout the operation.

He dismissed reports suggesting that the governor showed insufficient concern after the abduction.

“From the very first day of this incident, he remained in regular contact, seeking updates and asking about our progress,” the GOC said.

“Contrary to some media reports suggesting otherwise, I can personally confirm that he consistently followed developments and demonstrated genuine concern.”

Army Uncovers Local Collaborators

The Army commander said investigations revealed that a small number of local residents might have provided assistance to the kidnappers.

He called for closer scrutiny of the activities of some local vigilantes and hunters to strengthen community-level intelligence and prevent a recurrence.

“We need to carefully review the activities of some local vigilantes and hunters because our investigations indicate that there was collaboration by a small number of individuals with the criminal elements,” Nnebeife said.

He urged citizens to supply security agencies with timely and credible information, noting that public cooperation was vital to the fight against terrorism and kidnapping.