The Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi has expressed sigh of relief over the rescue of the 44 pupils l, students and teachers of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State from bandits’ den.
Obi in a statement issued Friday noted that the recurring incidents of kidnapping, particularly of schoolchildren, underscored the urgent need to strengthen the security architecture and make the protection of lives and property the foremost responsibility of the government.
He added: “I am greatly relieved and delighted to learn of the safe rescue of the schoolchildren who were kidnapped. I sincerely thank all those whose tireless efforts made their freedom possible, especially the security personnel and everyone who worked behind the scenes.
“While we celebrate this happy outcome, we must remember that no child should ever have to endure such trauma.
“The recurring incidents of kidnapping, particularly of schoolchildren, underscore the urgent need to strengthen our security architecture and make the protection of lives and property the foremost responsibility of the government.
“Our children deserve to learn in an atmosphere of safety, not fear. We must continue to work towards building a Nigeria where every child can pursue education without the threat of violence or abduction.”