The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to replicate the urgency and commitment that led to the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State by intensifying efforts to secure the release of victims still being held in Borno and Kwara states.
The opposition party said that while the successful rescue of the Oriire Local Government victims after 56 days in captivity was a welcome development, many other Nigerians abducted in different parts of the country have remained in captivity for months without receiving the same level of attention.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC congratulated the rescued pupils, teachers and their families, while commending the security agencies for the operation.
“We commend the security agencies and all those whose efforts made this rescue possible. Most importantly, we rejoice with the families whose long traumatic wait for the safe return of the victims has finally come to an end,” the statement read.
The party, however, stressed that the success recorded in Oyo should not divert attention from the plight of other kidnapping victims across the country.
According to the ADC, pupils abducted in Borno State in May are still in captivity, while more than 100 residents kidnapped in Kaiama, Kwara State, remain in the hands of their abductors several months after the incident.
“We believe that the suffering of these victims deserves the same urgency, determination and the national and international attention that brought the Oriire victims home,” the party stated.
The ADC further argued that while successful rescue operations are encouraging, they should not be the sole measure of the government’s performance in tackling insecurity, urging authorities to ensure that every kidnapping victim receives equal priority regardless of where the incident occurred.
