By Quazeem Halimot Bukola
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has welcomed the release of prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members of Oyo State origin who were abducted in Imo State, while calling on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to combat kidnapping and banditry across the country.
The state government, through the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, in a statement issued on Thursday, congratulated the governments of Oyo and Imo states, as well as the Federal Government, on the successful release of the victims.
Oyelade said the development had brought relief to the state and the families of the abducted prospective corps members, describing the victims as “our children” who had been freed from the “bondage of abduction.”
Despite the successful rescue, the commissioner urged the Federal Government to adopt more proactive measures to address the country’s persistent security challenges.
He stressed that the Federal Government had the greatest capacity to tackle kidnapping and banditry effectively and called on it to fulfil its responsibility to protect citizens.
“The Federal Government, which has the preponderance of power and capacity to effectively nip this embarrassing development in the bud, must be more proactive and live up to its promise to keep citizens safer across the land,” Oyelade said.
He also expressed concern over the continued prevalence of kidnapping and banditry in different parts of the country, despite repeated assurances by the Presidency regarding improvements in national security.
“It is worrisome that large pockets of kidnappings and banditry still dominate the Nigerian landscape, the constant robust assurances from the Presidency notwithstanding,” he added.
The commissioner further claimed that no fewer than 200 Nigerians remained in captivity in forests across the country, alleging that authorities appeared to lack clear information about the whereabouts of some of the abducted victims.
The prospective corps members were reportedly abducted last week while travelling from Ibadan to their NYSC orientation camps in the South-East.
Reports indicated that 20 indigenes of Oyo State were travelling in two buses when gunmen attacked them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.
Their release was confirmed on Wednesday, ending days of uncertainty for their families and the Oyo State Government.
The Oyo State Government had earlier said it was collaborating with the Imo State Government and security agencies to secure the victims’ freedom. It also offered experience and operational templates from the Oriire kidnapping incident to support the rescue efforts.
Following the release, the state government renewed its call for stronger security measures to prevent future abductions and guarantee the safety of Nigerians travelling across the country.
