Bring back all the people in the custody of abductors without further delay, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed security agencies yesterday.
The President, who expressed joy over the return of 100 pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government of Niger State, praised security agencies for their “steadfast efforts” since the November 21 incident.
But President Tinubu said the joy can only be full if all the abductees are rescued from the kidnappers’ den.
No fewer than 115 students and some of their teachers are still in captivity after the school attack.
As the rescued pupils were reunited with their parents in Minna, the state capital, Governor Umar Bago raised hope about the rescue of the remaining ones soon.
The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, charged security operatives to intensify operations to secure the release of the remaining students and their teachers who are still being held by bandits.
He said: “I rejoice with Governor Bago and commend our security agencies for their steadfast work in ensuring the safe return of the students to their families.”
The President assured affected families that both the Federal Government and the Niger State Government are working closely to bring home every abducted child.
He added: “My directive to our security forces remains that all the students and other abducted Nigerians across the country must be rescued and brought back home safely. We must account for all the victims.”
The President also said his administration was taking further actions to secure schools across the country, stressing that learning institutions must never again become soft targets for terrorists.
He added: “From now on, our security agencies, working with the governors, must prevent future kidnappings.
“Our children should no longer be sitting ducks for heartless terrorists intent on disrupting their education and subjecting them and their parents to unspeakable trauma.”
President Tinubu reaffirmed that the safety of students and the protection of schools remain a top priority of his administration as part of broader national security reforms.
Freed pupils reunited with parents
It was an emotional scene at the Government House in Minna when the pupils, who were rescued on Sunday, were reunited with their parents and guardians.
There was disappointment and weeping by some parents whose children were not among those rescued.
The children were rescued from Wawa forest in Borgu, also in Niger State, by security agencies on Sunday night at about 7pm, sources said.
An official, Abdullahi Idi Hong, who represented the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said the rescue was successful after a two-week intensive operation led by the NSA.
Hong, who presented the children to the state government, emphasised the critical role played by the Department of State Services (DSS), armed forces, and other agencies in the success.
He said: “In the past two weeks, an intense operation coordinated by the office of the NSA, DSS, armed forces and other security agencies led to the rescue of 100 children taken by the criminals.
“The effort of the DSS played a critical role in ensuring the success of this operation.”
He said education “must not be a casualty of violence,” adding that ongoing policies to safeguard children’s rights would be sustained.
Bago: no going back on rescue mission
Bago lauded President Tinubu and the NSA for mobilising the necessary teams and called for more prayers for the children who are yet to be rescued.
The governor said he was emotionally down because he never imagined that the abducted children were at a very tender age.
He said: “I am emotionally down because I saw their sizes and their ages.
“For those who have been praying, continue praying so that we recover the remaining children in captivity.”
Urging the parents not to despair, the governor assured them that the rest of the children would be safely rescued.
Bago, who said that medical and health workers have examined the children thoroughly before reuniting them with families, lauded the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for its support.
Due to the late information about the rescue, only a few parents could make it to the handover ceremony.
Mixed reactions by parents trailed the rescue.
A parent, Elizabeth Samuel, whose daughter was among those rescued, expressed overwhelming joy.
She said: “I had lost all hope, and I thank God that the government intervened and rescued them. I pray that the others are rescued as this one was.”
But Marcus Philip Abuka, who thought that his daughter was among those rescued, was sad that she was still in captivity.
He said: “I wasn’t happy since the incident happened because my daughter is among the abductees.
“I am still unhappy because she is not among those rescued. But I pray the government will do something to rescue the others.”
Abuka lauded the efforts made to rescue the children by the federal and state governments, expressing optimism that others will be rescued soon.
