CAN To Tinubu: Bring Back Other Abductees; Don’t Be Selective

Following the rescue of Oyo pupils and teachers, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN Achbishop Daniel Okoh has called on the federal government to ensure that those kidnapped across the country also regain their freedom from their abductors.

The CAN leader who welcome the rescue said rescue operations should not selective, saying efforts should be made to rescue other kidnap victims across the country.

The magazine had earlier reported that the students and teachers kidnapped from Orire Local Government of the state on may 15, 2026 were on Friday rescued in a joint security operations by the Nigerian Army, Navy, Aiforce, DSS, Police and others.

The victims, majorly children, between two years and above spent close to 60 days in the den of the kidnappers who raided three schools in the LGA, and took them hostage.

Not a few Nigerians, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the NDC, have welcome the development, even though the lives of two officers were said to have been lost during the operation.

One of the officers who fell during the operation, 28-year-old  Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac, a Nigerian Army personnel killed during the  operation , was buried with full military honours three days ago, at the 23rd Armoured Brigade Cemetery in Yola, Adamawa State

Since the successful rescue operation, not a few Nigerians have called on the federal government to apply the same tactic in the Oyo operation to rescue other kidnap victims across the country.

Archbishop OKoh said Oyo operation should strengthen the country’s resolve to rescue other kidnap victims , saying those still in kidnappers custody deserve equal attention, urging Nigerians to continue to pray for security forces and those still in captivity, expressing hope that the problem of insecurity will soon be over, and Nigerians will be able to move freely across the country.

Speaking after the rescue, President Tinubu said he was elated that the victims were rescued, praising all the security forces for working together to ensure the safe return of the studensts and teachers.

In a statement by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described the operation as heroic, but regretted the the victims had to g through a difficult time in the hand of the terrorists who kidnapped them.

“I am profoundly happy that our security forces successfully rescued the abducted pupils and teachers from Orire, Ogbomoso in Oyo State today after a military, police and intelligence-driven operation that neutralised some of the terrorists that perpetrated the evil act and the arrest of eight of them,” Tinubu said.

Adding that “This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular. On behalf of the country, I express my gratitude to the officers and men of our armed forces, the intelligence agencies and the police for the safe rescue of the children and their teachers.

“My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered.

“I must commend the government of Oyo State for working cooperatively with us in bringing this unfortunate incident to a successful end.”