By Bose
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The successful rescue of 44 pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State after 56 days in captivity has triggered nationwide calls on the Federal Government to replicate the intelligence-led operation in other parts of the country where hundreds of schoolchildren and other Nigerians remain in the hands of terrorists, even as the family of slain teacher, Michael Oyedokun, appealed for the recovery of his body for a befitting burial.
The rescue operation, jointly carried out by the military, the Department of State Services and the police, has been widely praised as proof that coordinated security efforts backed by political will and credible intelligence can produce results.
However, the development has also intensified demands from victims’ families, northern socio-political groups and community leaders for similar action in Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara and other states where many abductees remain in captivity.
According to Sunday PUNCH, the renewed calls followed Friday’s announcement that all the pupils and teachers kidnapped during coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15 had regained their freedom without the payment of ransom.
Families of victims in Borno State, where 78 students remain in captivity, following separate Boko Haram attacks on schools in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, said the Oyo rescue had renewed their hope but also heightened frustration over the continued silence, surrounding the fate of their children.
Speaking to Sunday PUNCH, Ibrahim Millam, whose daughter, Esther, is among the abducted students, appealed to the Federal Government not to abandon the victims.
“We commend the Federal Government for rescuing the Oyo students. Please, our children should not be allowed to die in captivity. They are our hope,” he pleaded.
Similarly, another resident, Sani Abdullahi, lamented that many families were losing hope after weeks without any meaningful update from the authorities.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) also urged President Bola Tinubu to intensify efforts to secure the release of all Nigerians still in captivity, describing the Oyo operation as a model that should be replicated nationwide.
Meanwhile, the family of Michael Oyedokun, one of the teachers killed during the abduction, has appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to recover his remains to enable the family give him a dignified burial.
In a statement shared on Instagram on Saturday by the family’s spokesperson, Oluwabukolami, the family expressed gratitude over the rescue of the remaining pupils and teachers but said their joy remained incomplete because Oyedokun’s body had yet to be recovered 58 days after he was killed.
“We are grateful to the government and security agencies for the safe return of the children and teachers. Every family reunited with their loved one is a reminder that hope still exists,” the statement read, while urging authorities to ensure that the slain teacher’s remains are recovered so his family can finally lay him to rest.
The twin developments have reinforced public calls for the Federal Government to sustain the momentum of the Oyo rescue operation by extending similar intelligence-driven efforts to other parts of the country where families continue to wait anxiously for the return of their loved ones.
