…insist lives lost during incident must not be forgotten

By Olayinka Ajayi

A Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Think Yoruba First, TYF, has commented President Bola Tinubu and other security agencies for the successful rescue of all the pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The group however urged relevant authorities that the tragic loss of lives during this unfortunate incident must not be forgotten.

In a statement, the group noted that the safe return of the victims after weeks in captivity has brought immense relief to families, the people of Oyo State, and the entire Yoruba nation.

According to the group, “We particularly commend the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Department of State Services, DSS, the Nigeria Police Force, and every security operative involved in the rescue mission for their resilience, courage, professionalism, and disciplined approach in handling such a delicate operation.

“Their intelligence-driven efforts, patience, and tactical coordination ensured the successful rescue of the victims without the loss of any additional pupils or teachers. The arrest of the suspected kidnappers and the neutralisation of other members of the criminal gang further demonstrate the determination of our security agencies to confront criminality and protect innocent lives.

“We also appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to ensuring that every available security and intelligence resource was deployed towards securing the freedom of the victims. We equally acknowledge the collaboration between the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, and the security agencies, whose collective efforts made this successful operation possible.

“While we celebrate this remarkable achievement, we respectfully remind the relevant authorities that the tragic loss of lives during this unfortunate incident must not be forgotten. The sacrifices made and the trauma endured by the victims, their families, and the affected communities are a painful reminder that much more must be done to strengthen security around schools, rural communities, and major transportation routes across Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole.

“Every child should be safe and secure in their learning environment, and every teacher deserves to carry out the noble responsibility of imparting knowledge to future generations without fear of violence, intimidation, or abduction.“We are committed to advocating policies and initiatives that guarantee the safety of our people while supporting every genuine effort aimed at defeating insecurity and restoring lasting peace. We also encourage sustained investment in intelligence gathering, community-based security collaboration, and the protection of educational institutions to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

“We congratulate the rescued pupils and teachers on their safe return and pray for their complete physical, emotional, and psychological recovery. We equally extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during this tragic incident and urge the government to ensure that every person responsible for these heinous crimes is brought to justice.”