Oyo Sch Rescue:ACOE Demands Immediate Action to Free Borno Students, Other Kidnap Victims, says operation proves Nigeria can defeat kidnapping By Raymond Enoch
The successful rescue of 44 abducted pupils, students and teachers in Oyo State has sparked renewed calls for the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the freedom of other Nigerians still held by kidnappers, particularly students abducted from Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Borno State.
The Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) on Monday described the Oyo rescue operation as compelling evidence that Nigeria possesses the capacity to overcome kidnapping through effective intelligence gathering, coordinated security operations and sustained political commitment.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Sola Akingboye, the association applauded President Bola Tinubu, the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS), other security agencies and members of the local communities for securing the release of the victims after 56 days in captivity.
ACOE noted that the operation has restored public confidence in the country’s security architecture, urging the Federal Government to replicate the same intelligence-driven strategy to rescue the remaining victims of kidnapping across the country.
According to the association, the rescue should not be viewed as an isolated success but as a practical model for confronting the growing menace of abduction nationwide.
“The successful rescue of the abducted pupils, students and teachers in Oyo State has shown that with determination, professionalism and actionable intelligence, Nigeria can defeat kidnapping and restore hope to victims’ families,” Akingboye stated.
The association specifically called for renewed attention to the plight of students abducted from Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Borno State, stressing that every Nigerian life deserves equal protection regardless of location.
ACOE argued that no family should be left waiting indefinitely for the return of loved ones when the nation has demonstrated that successful rescue operations are achievable through coordinated intelligence and security efforts.
The association further stressed that lasting national development can only thrive in an environment where citizens can travel, farm, work and send their children to school without fear of criminal attacks.
It also paid tribute to security personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Oyo rescue mission, particularly 28-year-old Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac of the Nigerian Army, who reportedly died while leading the initial assault team during the operation in the Old Oyo National Park.
ACOE described the fallen officer and other security operatives as national heroes whose courage and patriotism should inspire greater public support for the nation’s security agencies.
The association urged the Federal Government to sustain investment in intelligence gathering, surveillance technology, inter-agency collaboration, community policing and improved welfare for security personnel, insisting that such measures remain essential to winning the fight against insecurity.
It recalled that it had earlier appealed to the Federal Government to rescue the abducted Oyo schoolchildren and other victims across the country, expressing satisfaction that the appeal had yielded positive results.
However, ACOE maintained that the mission would only be complete when every Nigerian still in the hands of kidnappers and terrorists regains freedom.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to advocating policies that strengthen national security, promote justice and protect the lives of all Nigerians.
