Governor Dapo Abiodun has assured Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu is making sustained efforts to secure the safe return of schoolchildren and other victims abducted by bandits across the country.
The Ogun State governor gave the assurance on Friday while speaking at the 2026 Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebu-Ode.
Abiodun used the occasion to express sympathy with families affected by the growing wave of insecurity and called on Nigerians to pray for victims of attacks and kidnappings across the country.
According to him, the federal government remains committed to ensuring that abducted victims, particularly schoolchildren, are safely reunited with their families.
“Let me use this occasion to ask us to remember and pray today for all those who have lost their lives and all those who have fallen victim to banditry across the length and breadth of our country.
“Our hearts, our thoughts and our prayers are with all of you, particularly those affected by the incident that happened days ago in Ogbomoso.
“Be assured that our President and Commander-in-Chief, Bola Tinubu, is working assiduously to ensure that he brings all these children back home safely to their families,” the governor said.
Abiodun’s remarks followed renewed public outrage over recent attacks on schools and communities in Oyo and Borno, where gunmen abducted pupils, teachers and residents.
On May 15, armed bandits reportedly attacked communities in Oriire Local Government Area near Ogbomoso in Oyo State, abducting several pupils and teachers while killing a teacher during the invasion.
At Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, the attackers kidnapped the school principal, some teachers and dozens of pupils. One teacher was shot dead during the attack, while reports later indicated that the kidnappers killed another abducted teacher.
The incident sparked protests in Ogbomoso as teachers suspended academic activities and marched peacefully to the office of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, demanding immediate action to secure the release of those still in captivity.
In a related incident on the same day, suspected bandits abducted pupils from Mussa Primary School and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The attacks have further heightened concerns over the safety of schools, especially in northern Nigeria, where educational institutions have repeatedly come under attack by insurgents and criminal gangs.
Reacting to the development, the Nigeria Union of Teachers described the attacks as barbaric and inhuman, warning that continued assaults on schools could compel teachers nationwide to withdraw their services.
The union stated that the attacks had created widespread fear, panic and emotional trauma among teachers, pupils, parents and affected communities.
President Tinubu had earlier condemned the attacks and assured Nigerians that security agencies were intensifying rescue efforts and working to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In his Children’s Day message, the president specifically addressed the abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, assuring them that they had not been abandoned.
Tinubu also disclosed that he had directed security agencies to strengthen coordinated rescue operations nationwide, while the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with state governments, would deepen the implementation of the Safe Schools framework in vulnerable communities.
The president further stressed the need for schools in high-risk areas to establish emergency response protocols and direct communication channels with security agencies.
He also reiterated his support for the creation of state police, urging the National Assembly to expedite legislative action on the proposal as part of broader efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.
