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The Presidency has confirmed the release of all the schoolchildren and teachers abducted during the May 15 attack on Ahoro-Esiele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The victims were kidnapped when heavily armed gunmen invaded the community, abducting 46 pupils, teachers and the principal of a secondary school, sparking nationwide concern.
The kidnappers beheaded one of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun days after, creating further distress for victims and their families.
Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Friday confirmed the release of the school children and their teachers.
According to the statement President Bola Tinubu expressed profound joy at the successful rescue of the children and teachers from Oriire community in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, by the security forces.
It says the President praised the heroic efforts of the security agencies, especially the military, the DSS and the police, for working round the clock in the last 56 days to secure the release of the abducted children and their teachers without any collateral damage and for arresting eight of the abductors and neutralising others.
Mr Onanuga said the President Tinubu regretted the anguish that the children and their teachers, as well as members of their families and the entire nation, had experienced since the sad occurrence.
The President also commended the Oyo State Government for cooperating with the Federal Government in all rescue efforts, and charged it to ensure adequate security around schools across the state.
“I am profoundly happy that our security forces successfully rescued the abducted pupils and teachers from Orire, Ogbomoso in Oyo State today after a military, police and intelligence-driven operation that neutralised some of the terrorists that perpetrated the evil act and the arrest of eight of them,” the President said.
“This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular. On behalf of the country, I express my gratitude to the officers and men of our armed forces, the intelligence agencies and the police for the safe rescue of the children and their teachers.
“My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered.
“I must commend the government of Oyo State for working cooperatively with us in bringing this unfortunate incident to a successful end.”
President Tinubu has also directed that the emergency agencies work with the Oyo State Government to provide all necessary medical and relief support to the children and the teachers.