'Extend Oriire Rescue Tactics To Other States'

‘Extend Oriire Rescue Tactics To Other States’ – ADC Tells Tinubu
The party said kidnap victims in other states deserve equal government attention.
ADC called for nationwide deployment of intelligence resources to rescue abductees.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to extend the security strategy used in rescuing abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to other Nigerians still being held by kidnappers across the country.

The opposition party said victims in Kwara, Borno, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Benue and other states deserved the same level of urgency and commitment from the Federal Government.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the call was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.

The party said the successful rescue of the pupils and teachers should serve as the standard for responding to kidnapping cases nationwide rather than remain an isolated success.

ADC welcomed the safe return of the victims, describing every successful rescue as a victory for the country and the affected families.

The party referred to President Tinubu’s remarks on Thursday while receiving traditional rulers from Oyo State, led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to the ADC, the President said the government refused to negotiate with the kidnappers and instead relied on intelligence driven security operations, including measures targeting the kidnappers’ families, to secure the victims’ release.

“Every Nigerian should be delighted with the outcome of this bold strategy by the Federal Government. Every life rescued from the hands of kidnappers is a victory for the country. Every family reunited with loved ones deserves relief,” the statement read.

However, the party questioned why the same intelligence and operational capacity had not been deployed to rescue other Nigerians who had remained in captivity for extended periods.

“If the Federal Government has the intelligence network, the operational capacity and the political resolve to bring the victims in Oriire home without yielding to the demands of kidnappers, why has the government not applied the same strategy to rescue other victims who have fallen victims much longer and have continued to languish in kidnappers’ dens till today?” the party asked.

The ADC said hundreds of families in Kwara State remained uncertain about the fate of their loved ones, while communities in Borno and several other states were still awaiting the return of abducted residents.

It added that affected families were not asking for special treatment but equal concern and commitment from the government.

The party urged Tinubu to demonstrate the same determination shown in the Oriire operation by assuring families of other abductees that their loved ones had not been forgotten.

“The President told the kidnappers in Oriire, ‘No deal.’ He must demonstrate equal resolve and send an equally unmistakable message and give real hope to families still waiting for a son, daughter, husband, wife or parent that the government has not forgotten them,” the statement added.

According to the ADC, the true measure of the government’s security performance would be its ability to protect citizens from abduction and secure the release of victims regardless of where they were kidnapped.

The party therefore called for the immediate deployment of the intelligence, surveillance and operational resources used in Oyo State to Kwara, Borno and other states where abducted Nigerians remain in captivity.