Akeem Salawu Commends Security Agencies Over Rescue of Abducted Oriire Pupils, Teachers, Urges Improved School Security

The 2027 Senatorial Candidate for Oyo Central Senatorial District on the platform of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Akeem Salawu, has commended security agencies for the successful rescue of the pupils, teachers and other victims abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

In a statement, Salawu described the victims’ safe return as a huge relief to their families, communities and Nigerians who had followed the incident with concern.

He praised the courage, professionalism and coordinated efforts of security personnel and other stakeholders involved in the rescue operation, noting that their commitment demonstrated the importance of timely and purposeful collaboration in tackling insecurity.

“I warmly commend the security agencies for the successful rescue of the pupils, teachers and other victims who were abducted. Their safe return is a source of immense relief to their families, communities and indeed every Nigerian who followed the unfortunate incident with deep concern,” he said.

Salawu, however, stressed that beyond celebrating the successful rescue, greater attention should be paid to preventing similar incidents from occurring.

According to him, the true measure of success in addressing insecurity lies not only in rescuing victims after attacks but in putting measures in place to stop such attacks from happening.

“Our schools must remain places of learning, hope and opportunity, not places where children, teachers and parents live in fear. Government at all levels must work closely with security agencies, community leaders and other stakeholders to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve rapid response, secure vulnerable schools and proactively address the security gaps that make these attacks possible,” he said.

The NDC senatorial hopeful maintained that the safety of children and teachers requires sustained commitment rather than reactive interventions, adding that every child deserves to learn in a safe environment while teachers should be able to discharge their responsibilities without fear.

“As we celebrate the successful rescue of these innocent Nigerians, let it also remind us that protecting lives must remain our highest priority. We must build a nation where such tragedies become increasingly rare and ultimately become a thing of the past,” Salawu added.

He expressed sympathy with the rescued victims and their families, praying for their full recovery from the traumatic experience while reaffirming his commitment to supporting policies and initiatives aimed at strengthening public safety and protecting schools across the country.