The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, has explained that the ongoing efforts to rescue abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are being handled cautiously to avoid casualties among the victims.
The monarch, who addressed protesters at his palace on Monday, said the government had opted for dialogue with the kidnappers because a military assault on the abductors’ hideout could result in the death of innocent hostages.
According to the traditional ruler, the delicate nature of the situation has made security agencies avoid aggressive operations that could worsen the crisis.
“If you say this matter does not concern us or trouble us, we are lying. Most people don’t know that from 1982 to 1988, I was a secondary school teacher. So I know the value of a teacher. It was my first paying job in Oyo State,” Oba Olaoye said.
He added that the plight of the abducted victims deeply troubled him as both a former teacher and a father.
“This matter is a difficult one. Besides being a teacher, I also have children. I am a father. It troubles me that we have children in captivity, because, if they were my own children, what would I do? So because of this, every effort we can make is what we are doing,” he stated.
The monarch stressed that security agencies were being careful because any direct confrontation with the kidnappers could expose the captives to grave danger.
“Only God can prevent unfortunate circumstances from befalling those children. If they storm the hideout and begin to shoot, we cannot be sure who will be hit by a bullet. This is why they are engaging in dialogue with the terrorists to ensure that no lives are lost,” he explained.
Oba Olaoye also dismissed suggestions that authorities were not doing enough, saying the same cautious approach would have been adopted even if the victims were children of top government officials.
“Yes, if it were the governors’ or the president’s children, wouldn’t they have done something about it? Let me explain why they have yet to do more than they have, even if it is their own child who is there. It is what is called collateral damage in English,” he said.
The royal father revealed that he personally witnessed the heavy deployment of soldiers in the area during a recent visit but noted that security operatives could not simply invade the kidnappers’ camp without considering the safety of the hostages.
“I was there on Saturday. Many army vans were there. You would think, with this many soldiers, why are they not going into the kidnappers’ den? They can’t go where the hostages are because many lives will be lost,” he added.
The Soun urged residents across religious and traditional divides to pray for the safe release of the abducted victims and for divine intervention in the crisis.
“The first thing we would do is pray. We Christians know that prayer is important. We Muslims know that too. Muslims even pray five times daily. Traditionalists should also engage in divination, calling on the Supreme Being. So we would all be praying that God will pacify the hearts of the abductors,” he said.
He further disclosed that the prolonged captivity of the victims had become a major embarrassment to the government, adding that authorities would have met the kidnappers’ demands immediately if they were easily achievable.
“Regarding the demands, if it is something the government can provide immediately, they would do so because the situation is embarrassing for the government. We should be praying for the safe return of the abducted children, wives and husbands,” the monarch stated.
According to him, members of a presidential delegation who visited the area revealed that both the president and the First Lady had been disturbed by the incident.
“This matter is already an embarrassment for the government. When the president’s delegation visited, they said the president and his wife have not been able to sleep soundly,” he said.
Earlier, angry youths in Ogbomoso threatened to block major roads leading into and out of the city if the abducted schoolchildren and teachers were not rescued before the end of the week.
