President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has escalated federal intervention in the tragic abduction of scores of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, dispatching a high-powered presidential delegation led by National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to the affected communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
The delegation, which arrived in Ogbomoso before proceeding to the villages of Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota, included Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, Inspector-General of Police representatives, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe and Presidential Adviser on Public Communications, Sunday Dare.
The visit comes approximately two weeks after heavily armed terrorists reportedly invaded Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., abducting more than 45 students, six teachers and the school principal in one of the most shocking school attacks recorded in Oyo State in recent years.
The brazen daylight operation sent shockwaves across the Southwest, a region historically regarded as one of Nigeria’s more secure zones but which has increasingly witnessed incursions by criminal gangs, kidnappers and armed terrorists operating from remote forests and border corridors.
In a statement posted on his official X account, Presidential Adviser Sunday Dare disclosed that President Tinubu had initiated a coordinated security response aimed at rescuing the victims and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
According to Dare, the President has directed security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering, strengthen operational coordination and deploy all necessary resources towards securing the safe return of those abducted.
The visit by the presidential team signals the seriousness with which the Federal Government is treating the incident and is expected to reassure affected communities that the victims have not been forgotten.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has also reiterated his administration’s commitment to securing the release of the abducted pupils and teachers, assuring residents that every lawful measure would be deployed to ensure their freedom and restore confidence in the affected communities.
Security analysts note that the attack highlights the growing evolution of Nigeria’s security challenges. Once concentrated primarily in the North-East and parts of the North-West, terrorist and kidnapping networks have increasingly extended their reach into other regions, targeting schools, highways and rural settlements.
The attack has renewed calls for enhanced aerial surveillance, intelligence-led policing, deployment of advanced drone technology and stronger collaboration between federal, state and local security structures to prevent future incidents.
For many Nigerians, the presence of the NSA, Chief of Staff and top military leadership on the ground represents more than a symbolic visit. It is a test of government capacity to protect vulnerable communities, rescue innocent citizens and demonstrate that terrorists can no longer operate with impunity.
As families anxiously await news of their loved ones, the nation watches closely, hoping that the ongoing security operation will culminate in the safe return of every abducted child and teacher and deliver a decisive blow against those responsible for the attack.
President Bola Tinubu has dispatched a high-level delegation led by NSA Nuhu Ribadu to Oriire LGA, Oyo State, following the abduction of over 45 students, six teachers and a principal by terrorists. The visit underscores intensified federal efforts to rescue the victims, apprehend the attackers and strengthen security across vulnerable communities in the Southwest.
Dr. G. Fraser. MFR
The National Patriots.
