Everybody In That Bush Will Come Out – Obi Reveals How He Would Have Handled Oyo Abduction

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said he would have personally led an operation into the forest where abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State were kept if he were Nigeria’s President.

Naijaonpoint reports that Obi said he would not have allowed the victims to remain in captivity for several weeks, adding that he would have moved quickly to ensure their release, even if the rescue mission came with risks.

The politician made the comment during an interview on State of the Nation with Peter Obi aired on Afia TV’s Eastern Eye programme and hosted by Alex Ogbodo on Thursday.

The Oriire abduction happened on May 15, 2026, after several pupils and teachers were taken by gunmen in Oyo State.

The victims were held for about 56 days before security agencies rescued them in July.

Obi criticized the response of the Federal Government to the incident, saying the President should have taken a more direct approach during the period the victims were held captive.

He questioned why action was not taken earlier despite the location of the kidnappers being within Nigeria.

The former governor said he would have travelled to the area within days of the incident and taken steps to end the situation.

He said: “Days of kidnap of Oyo children. The President did not call the governor. What do you mean? Fifty days. But I’ll be there in two days. Is the bush not in Nigeria? That bush they went in. The bush is in Nigeria. Everybody in that bush will come out. Everybody. There might be casualties but everybody will come out.

“And it is time when we say we resolve something. We arrest some people. Parade the people. Let people see them. What is happening? When America or other countries kill people like that, they parade them. They show it. Everybody sees it. In Nigeria, everything is shrouded in secrecy.

“No way. It’s either I’m in charge or you people are in charge. I go home. One person must be in charge. And if you’re in charge, if you want to lead, you should be ready to die. If you don’t want to, you go home. One must be in charge.”