The party said the successful rescue of the Oriire victims after 56 days in captivity was a welcome development but stressed that similar attention should be given to other kidnapping cases across the country.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC rejoiced with the families of the rescued victims and praised security operatives and all those involved in the operation.
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) hails the safe return of the pupils, teachers and other victims abducted from schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State after 56 harrowing days in captivity,” the statement said.
“We commend the security agencies and all those whose efforts made this rescue possible. Most importantly, we rejoice with the families whose long traumatic wait for the safe return of the victims has finally come to an end.”
The opposition party, however, expressed concern that several other victims of kidnapping across the country had not received the same level of attention.
According to the ADC, pupils abducted in Borno State in May this year remain in captivity, while more than 100 persons kidnapped in Kaiama, Kwara State, are yet to regain their freedom months after their abduction.
“We believe that the suffering of these victims deserves the same urgency, determination as well as the national and international attention that brought the Oriire victims home,” the party stated.
While celebrating the rescue operation, the ADC argued that the real measure of success in the fight against insecurity should be the prevention of abductions rather than the frequency of rescue missions.
“Every successful rescue is worth celebrating. But every kidnapping is also a reminder that the primary duty of the government is to ensure that citizens are not abducted in the first place,” Abdullahi said.
“What we must not do is to get accustomed to measuring success by the number of rescue operations this government conducts. The true measure of success is whether parents across Nigeria can send their children to school without fear, whether travellers can use our roads without anxiety, and whether ordinary Nigerians can live their daily lives free from the constant threat of violent criminals.”
The party further alleged that insecurity had become a persistent challenge under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, warning that the situation could undermine economic growth, investment and public confidence.
“Under the Tinubu government, for too many Nigerians, insecurity has become an accepted part of everyday life. This is unacceptable,” the statement said.
“We cannot achieve meaningful economic growth, attract investment or build public confidence while kidnapping remains a recurring feature of national life.”
ADC called on the Federal Government to sustain the momentum that led to the rescue of the Oriire victims and deploy similar resources, intelligence and operational capacity towards securing the release of all Nigerians still in captivity.
“Every life matters equally. No victim should be forgotten because they are voiceless or lack vocal champions to keep their story on the headlines and national focus,” the party added.
The opposition party also urged the government to adopt a comprehensive security strategy focused on addressing the root causes of insecurity, strengthening intelligence gathering, improving inter-agency coordination and enhancing protection for vulnerable communities.
“Today, we celebrate with the families in Oriire. But our celebration will not be complete until every abducted Nigerian returns home safely,” the statement concluded.
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