Should the government bomb kidnap hideouts? Bwala questions rescue strategy in Oyo school abduction

The Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, has defended the Federal Government’s handling of the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, insisting that rescuing the hostages alive remains the administration’s top priority.

Speaking on The Morayo Show on Wednesday, Bwala responded to concerns over the fate of the victims, who have remained in captivity for more than 50 days following the attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.

Gunmen had invaded the schools on May 15, 2026, abducting more than 39 pupils, including toddlers, alongside seven teachers. One of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded shortly after the attack, raising fears about the safety of the remaining captives.

Addressing criticism over the pace of the rescue operation, Bwala maintained that security agencies were focused on ensuring the victims returned alive rather than taking actions that could worsen the situation.

“We know they are alive and they are well. To bring them back, to get them out alive, is much more important than whatever anybody is saying in the news,” he said.

Bwala argued that the use of overwhelming military force against suspected hideouts could place the hostages at greater risk.

According to him, hostage situations require careful planning because direct military action may lead to unintended casualties among those being held captive.

“If you use lethal force, you may end up jeopardising the life of the people that are kidnapped.

“When you have a case of what we call hostage-taking, the number one responsibility of government is to rescue them, and rescue them alive.

“But if we hear that one person has been killed, then we’ll have to use the other measures available,” he said.

During the interview, Bwala also posed a rhetorical question to those criticising the government’s approach, asking whether the alternative would be to bomb locations where the captives were believed to be held.

“Should the government now forcefully begin bombing where we believe they are being held, because one person was beheaded and there is a possibility that the rest will be killed? Or tell me what you think we should do,” he asked.

The comments come amid growing public concern over the prolonged captivity of the abducted pupils and teachers, with negotiations yet to secure their release more than seven weeks after the incident.

Security experts have repeatedly noted that hostage rescue operations require balancing the urgency of intervention with the safety of those in captivity, particularly where children are involved. The Federal Government has yet to announce a timeline for the victims’ rescue.