Tinubu expresses sympathy over Oyo school abduction, orders deployment of special rescue unit

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed sympathy with the families of teachers and pupils abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, saying no child should be taken from the safety of a classroom and no parent should have to endure such anguish.

“I share the pain and anxiety of the affected families. No child should be taken from the safety of a classroom. No parent should have to endure this anguish,” the president said in a statement posted on his official X account on Monday.

Tinubu said the federal government was intensifying efforts to secure the safe return of the abducted victims.

According to him, he has directed the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to strengthen ongoing operations aimed at rescuing the teachers and pupils.

The President also announced the approval of the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in collaboration with the Oyo State government following the visit of a high-level federal government delegation to the affected communities of Esiele and Yawota.

He wrote, “I have also directed the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts to secure the safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers.
“The communities’ request for the establishment of a military base in the area is receiving urgent consideration.”

The victims were abducted on May 15 from schools in Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area, triggering widespread concern and prompting the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to direct public school teachers across the state to embark on an indefinite strike.