Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has visited the victims of the recent kidnapping incident in Oriire Local Government Area who are currently receiving medical treatment in Ibadan, expressing gratitude over their safe rescue while assuring families of those who lost their lives during the operation that their sacrifices would not be in vain.
The governor, who met with the rescued children and teachers at the medical facility on Saturday, said his administration would continue to provide every necessary support to ensure their full recovery before reuniting them with their families. He also paid tribute to the civilians and security personnel who died during the rescue mission, praying that God would comfort their families.
Speaking after the visit, Makinde described the successful rescue as a moment of thanksgiving, revealing that all 39 abducted pupils had regained their freedom alongside five of the seven teachers who were kidnapped. According to him, “we are very happy. The children are back, all of them, the thirty-nine of them, and also five of the seven teachers. We give glory to God and we say thank you to our troops, the officers and men,” noting that the operation was only made possible through the bravery and sacrifice of Nigeria’s security forces.
The governor, however, acknowledged that the operation came at a painful cost, disclosing that some military personnel lost their lives while working to secure the victims’ release. He assured the bereaved families that their loved ones’ sacrifices would never be forgotten, saying, “we lost some officers and part of our troops as well, so to all the families that have lost loved ones in this whole process, we want to assure them that their loved ones will not have died in vain.” He further remembered all civilians and military personnel who lost their lives during the incident, praying that their souls would rest in peace while asking God to continue to comfort their families.
Giving an update on the condition of the rescued victims, Governor Makinde explained that although they were relieved to have regained their freedom, many were still battling the emotional and psychological effects of their ordeal. He said he could clearly see that the children were happy to be out of captivity because “when your freedom is taken away, it’s a different state of mind,” adding that while they were glad to be back, some of them remained visibly afraid and would require medical attention as well as psychological support to overcome post-traumatic stress. According to him, the state already has a medical team on the ground to provide the necessary interventions.
The governor disclosed that the rescued pupils and teachers would remain under close medical observation for another 48 hours before they are formally handed over from the military to the Oyo State Government. He explained that by Monday, medical assessments would be completed and the state would begin the process of reuniting the victims with their families.
Makinde also revealed that arrangements were already being made to bring family members to Ibadan to see the victims before they return home. Sharing one of the emotional moments from his visit, he disclosed that “there’s a small girl in there that basically has been asking, ‘Where is my mom?’ So at least we want the mom to be able to come and then see her,” describing the encounter as a reminder of the emotional trauma many of the rescued children are still experiencing.
Calling for national unity in the face of growing security challenges, the governor urged Nigerians not to allow difficult moments to create division among citizens. He stressed that insecurity is a challenge faced by many countries around the world and that this was the time for Nigerians to stand together rather than sow “seeds of division.” According to him, “it’s our country. All countries around the world do have challenges, so when we’re challenged, it’s not usually the best time for us to sow seeds of division; it’s the best time for us to come together and confront our challenges.”
Governor Makinde also announced that he would officially brief the people of Oyo State and Nigerians later in the week on the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping, the rescue operation and other developments relating to the incident.
The governor reaffirmed that his administration would remain committed to the welfare of the rescued victims until they fully recover and safely reunite with their families, while maintaining that the sacrifices made by the security personnel who lost their lives during the operation would never be forgotten.
