The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has commended security agencies for the successful rescue of abducted pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. In a press statement, the commission called on the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue other Nigerians still in captivity.
Rescue Must Not Be Treated as Isolated Success
According to the statement, the NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said: “The rescue must not be treated as an isolated success. Every life matters. The joy of one family reunited must become the standard for every family still waiting in anguish.” He added, “While we commend this rescue, we are reminded that hundreds of Nigerians are still missing, still suffering, and still hoping.”
Constitutional Duty to Protect Citizens
Ojukwu emphasized that the State has a duty to protect the right to life and personal liberty of every citizen under Sections 33 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution. “Rescuing one is commendable. Rescuing all is the mandate; no Nigerian should be left behind in captivity,” he stated. He urged both federal and state governments and security operatives to collaborate on intelligence gathering to enable swift rescue operations.
Details of the Abduction and Rescue
On 15 May, gunmen abducted a total of 46 people—39 students and seven teachers—when they raided Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele; and L.A. Primary School, Ahoro-Esinele, all in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The abductors camped the victims inside Old Oyo National Park, a protected forest reserve linking to Kainji National Park where a Sadiku-led Boko Haram franchise recently migrated.
One of the abducted teachers was later killed in captivity, while security agencies continued efforts to secure the release of the remaining victims. After 56 days in captivity, the rest of the abducted victims were rescued on Friday, 10 July, by the Nigerian military in collaboration with other security agencies. However, children abducted in Askira Uba in Borno State on the same day as the Oyo victims are yet to be freed.
