By: Tunji Okunlola
The successful rescue of 44 pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State, after 56 days in captivity, has intensified calls on President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to launch similar operations to free hundreds of Nigerians still held by terrorists and kidnappers across the country.
Families of abducted victims, socio-political groups, community leaders, religious organisations and opposition politicians have urged the Federal Government to replicate the intelligence-driven operation in states such as Borno, Kwara, Kaduna and Zamfara, where many victims have remained in captivity for months.
The appeals followed Friday’s announcement that all pupils and teachers abducted during coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15 had regained their freedom without any ransom payment. Security agencies described the rescue as an intelligence-led operation jointly carried out by the military, the Department of State Services and the police, an effort widely praised as proof that coordinated security work can succeed when backed by strong intelligence and political commitment.
Borno: Parents of 78 Students Still Await News
Despite celebrations over the Oyo rescue, attention has shifted to numerous other abductees whose families are still awaiting their return. In Borno State, parents of 78 students still in captivity following separate Boko Haram attacks on schools in Askira/Uba Local Government Area said the Oyo rescue had renewed hope but also underscored the lack of progress in their own cases.
On May 15, insurgents abducted 42 pupils from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School. On June 29, a separate attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, led to the abduction of 36 students and a teacher.
Speaking on behalf of affected families, Ibrahim Millam, whose daughter Esther is among the abductees, lamented the absence of updates from authorities. “Since they took my daughter and her fellow students, we have heard nothing. We appreciate the rescue of the Oyo pupils, but our children should not be abandoned in captivity,” he said.
Another resident, Sani Abdullahi, said many parents were losing hope as the prolonged captivity dragged on.
The Arewa Consultative Forum urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of all Nigerians still being held by kidnappers and terrorists. The forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, welcomed the Oyo rescue but stressed that similar attention must be given to abductees in Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara and other affected states, saying government at all levels had a responsibility to eliminate kidnapping and ensure no citizen remained in captivity.
The Northern Elders Forum was more critical, arguing that successful rescue operations should not distract from the need to prevent abductions altogether. The forum’s spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, questioned why children continued to be kidnapped despite government assurances on security.
Kwara: Hopes Renewed for 176 Women and Children
The Oyo rescue has also renewed focus on the plight of 176 women and children abducted during deadly terrorist attacks on Woro and nearby communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State earlier this year. Between February 3 and 4, heavily armed terrorists reportedly killed more than 200 residents, destroyed homes and markets, and abducted scores of people.
Community representatives appealed to President Tinubu, security agencies and the Kwara State Government to urgently initiate a coordinated rescue mission. A stakeholder from Kaiama, Usman Zakari, said the Oyo rescue had rekindled hope among families of the abducted. “We celebrated the Oyo rescue because it reminded us that our people can also be brought home safely,” he said.
The Chief Imam of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Dr. Sanusi Lafiagi, also appealed for similar efforts to secure the release of those still held in Kwara, warning against another prolonged national tragedy similar to the Chibok and Dapchi incidents.
Kaduna: Fears Some Captives May Have Died
In Kaduna State, families of worshippers abducted during Easter Sunday attacks on churches in Ariko Community, Kachia Local Government Area, expressed concern that some captives may have died in captivity. Village Head Joshua Doka said communication from the abductees had become scarce and that kidnappers continued to demand a ransom of N1 billion and 35 motorcycles. He appealed to federal and state authorities to intervene before more lives were lost.
Analysts Call for Oyo Model to Go Nationwide
Security and public affairs analysts described the Oyo operation as a model that should be replicated nationwide. Maiduguri-based analyst Abubakar Kareto said the joint efforts of the military, police and DSS demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led rescue missions, and urged the Federal Government to immediately deploy similar strategies in Borno while strengthening intelligence-sharing mechanisms to prevent future abductions.
Meanwhile, the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, warned that the group might organise peaceful protests if abducted students in the state were not rescued soon.
The African Democratic Congress commended security agencies for the Oyo operation but cautioned against what it described as selective attention to kidnapping cases. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, noted that schoolchildren in Borno and more than 100 abductees in Kwara remained in captivity and deserved the same urgency shown in the Oyo rescue, arguing that government success should ultimately be measured by its ability to prevent kidnappings rather than merely respond to them.
Presidency Responds
Responding to the growing concerns, President Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said the President had directed security and intelligence agencies to secure the release of every Nigerian still in captivity. According to him, security agencies are carrying out rescue operations daily across different regions of the country, with communities being liberated, victims rescued and criminal groups neutralised. Ajayi insisted the administration remained committed to protecting all Nigerians regardless of their location, stressing that every life matters to the President.