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Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, on Saturday, visited the rescued victims of the Oriire Local Government Area school abduction at the 2 Division Nigerian Army Medical Facility, where he expressed relief over their safe return and assured them of continued medical and psychological support.
The victims, comprising 39 pupils and five of the seven abducted teachers, were released after spending weeks in captivity. The governor, who interacted with the children and their teachers during the visit, described their rescue as a significant development and commended the security personnel involved in the operation.
Makinde said he was delighted that the children had regained their freedom, while acknowledging the sacrifices made by officers and personnel who participated in the rescue effort.
“I am very happy that the children are back, all 39 of them, alongside five of the seven teachers. We give glory to God, and we appreciate our troops, the officers and men who played a significant role in securing their release,” the governor said.
He also condoled with the families of security personnel who lost their lives during the operation, assuring them that their sacrifices would not be forgotten.
“We also remember the officers and personnel we lost during this process. To all the families who lost their loved ones, we want to assure them that their sacrifices will not be in vain,” he added.
The governor said his interaction with the rescued victims showed that they were happy to have regained their freedom, but noted that some of them were still weak and would require further medical attention.
“Having interacted with the children and their teachers, I can say that they are happy to be out of captivity. When anyone’s freedom is taken away, it affects their state of mind, but they are grateful to be back,” Makinde said.
“Some of them are still very weak and will require medical attention. There are also post-traumatic issues that need to be addressed, but we have a team ready to provide the necessary support and care.”
On plans to reunite the victims with their families, Makinde explained that medical and psychological assessments would continue for the next 48 hours before the formal handover process.
“By Monday, we expect that an assessment will have been completed, and there may be a formal transfer from the military to the state government. From there, we will manage the process going forward,” he said.
The governor added that arrangements were already being made to allow family members to visit their loved ones, particularly a young girl among the victims who had repeatedly asked for her mother.
“Today, we are already putting logistics in place to allow some family members to come and see them. There is a little girl among them who has continuously been asking, ‘Where is my mum? Where is my mum?’ We want to make it possible for her mother to come and reunite with her,” Makinde said.
While reacting to security challenges facing the country, the governor called for unity and collective efforts, urging Nigerians to avoid division during difficult times.
“My final message is that this is our country. Every country around the world faces challenges. When we are confronted with difficulties, it is not the time to sow seeds of division; rather, it is the time for us to come together and confront those challenges collectively,” he said.
Makinde added that he would later provide a detailed briefing to the people of Oyo State and Nigerians on the circumstances surrounding the abduction and rescue operation.
“Later in the week, I will officially brief the people of Oyo State and the nation at large on what exactly transpired,” he stated.
