Religious leaders across faiths in Oyo State have showered praises on Governor Seyi Makinde and security agencies for the successful rescue of the teachers and pupils abducted from Oriire Local Government Area, describing the development as a victory for unity, resilience and coordinated security efforts.
The commendation came from the Oyo State Interfaith Office, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, and the leadership of traditional worshippers in the state.
The Special Assistant to governor Seyi Makinde on Interfaith Matters, Rev. Femi Ibikunle, who spoke on behalf of the state interfaith office on Friday evening, expressed gratitude to God for the safe release of the victims, saying the outcome was a testament to the power of persistent prayers and the government’s unrelenting commitment to securing the lives of residents.
Ibikunle praised Governor Makinde for refusing to succumb to pressure while working closely with the federal government and security agencies to ensure the victims regained their freedom.
“We thank Almighty God for answering the prayers of the people of Oyo State. We also appreciate the governor for remaining steadfast and supporting the security agencies throughout the rescue operation.
“This development has brought relief to the affected families and the entire state are large,” he said.
He noted that all the governor’s sleepless nights, marathon midnight meetings, steadfast prayers and fastings of religious leaders across the state have finally yielded the expected outcome.
Rev Ibikunle, also praised president Bola Tinubu, for his collaborative efforts with the government of Oyo state in the rescue efforts, describing the rescue of the victims as a victory for humanity against people of the underworld.
Similarly, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Oyo State described the rescue as heartwarming and urged governments at all levels to sustain efforts aimed at tackling kidnapping and other forms of criminality across the country.
CAN also called on residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible information capable of preventing future incident.
The governor’s aide equally expressed the message of the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh AbdulGaniyy Abubakry Agbotomokere, who according to him, thanked Allah for preserving the lives of the abducted teachers and pupils and commended the professionalism displayed by security operatives throughout the rescue mission.
He noted that the successful operation demonstrated that insecurity could be overcome through sincere leadership, collaboration among security agencies and the prayers of citizens.
The respected Islamic leader urged Nigerians to remain united irrespective of religious or ethnic differences in confronting criminal elements threatening the nation’s peace.
Also reacting, the Araba Oluawo of Oyo State, Ifalere Odegbola, who heads traditional worshippers in the state, described the rescue as a welcome development and congratulated the state and federal governments, security agencies and the families of the victims.
He said adherents of traditional religion had consistently offered prayers for the safe return of the abductees and expressed gratitude that the efforts ended in success.
Odegbola called for continued vigilance across communities, stressing that security should remain a collective responsibility.
The religious leaders, while speaking from different faith perspectives, unanimously urged the government to intensify intelligence gathering and strengthen security architecture to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
The rescued teachers and pupils regained their freedom after spending several weeks in captivity following their abduction during coordinated attacks on schools in Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
The Federal Government had earlier disclosed that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested while several others were neutralised during the operation, adding that no ransom was paid and no concession was made to secure the victims’ release.