President Bola Tinubu has vowed that all victims abducted in last Friday’s attack on schools in the Esiele community, Oriire LGA, Oyo state, will be rescued. He also condemned the killing of one of the kidnapped teachers.
Bandits invaded Esiele on May 15 and kidnapped staff, students and pupils from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School and L.A. Primary School. Tinubu said the federal government will work with Oyo to free the captives and support states that set up their own security outfits.
According to The Punch, Tinubu Said: “I am saddened by the reported killing of one of the teachers kidnapped by the gunmen who invaded the community. I sympathise with Governor Seyi Makinde and commend the steps he has taken on the matter. I sympathise with the families of the kidnapped victims.
“The federal government is working with the Oyo state government to rescue all the victims. I commend the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioners of Police in Oyo and Kwara states for their quick intervention and the deployment of a tactical and the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) team to rescue the victims.”
Tinubu added: “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.”
He urged lawmakers to move fast: “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.”
A video of the slain teacher speaking in captivity has been shared on X (formerly Twitter). Oyo and neighbouring Kwara have faced repeated attacks despite military operations.
Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed seven teachers were abducted and said: “What we know right now is that seven teachers were abducted.
“Unfortunately, we received a video this morning indicating that one of the teachers, understood to be the Mathematics teacher, was killed by the terrorists. Our prayers are with the family.”
Former senator Shehu Sani blamed corruption for Nigeria’s long fight with banditry and terrorism, saying terrorists avoid neighbours like Niger, Chad and Cameroon, and that some defence resources never reached junior officers.
