Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Saturday visited the 2 Division Nigerian Army Hospital, Odogbo, Ibadan, where pupils and teachers from the Oriire Local Government Area, recently rescued from abductors, are receiving medical attention.
The governor expressed satisfaction with their condition, saying the children and their teachers were responding well to treatment and remained in a stable condition.
Makinde disclosed that arrangements were being made to enable family members to reunite with the victims as part of a post-traumatic recovery process designed to help them recover from their ordeal.
He commended the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for their professionalism, commitment and coordinated efforts, which led to the successful rescue of the victims.
“I am very happy that the children and teachers are back. We give glory to God and thank our officers and men. It is unfortunate that we lost some soldiers and officers during the operation. We want to assure their families that their loved ones did not die in vain,” the governor said.
He stated that the rescued pupils and teachers were relieved to regain their freedom but noted that some remained physically weak and would require additional medical and psychological care.
“I can see that the pupils and teachers are happy to be out of captivity. They are glad to be back. Some of them are still frail, and we will have to provide further medical intervention to address post-traumatic issues. We already have the necessary team in place to handle that,” he said.
Governor Makinde also appreciated the people of Oyo State for their support, patience and understanding throughout the rescue efforts, assuring them that further updates on the operation and related developments would be provided in the coming days.
He explained that the victims would remain under medical observation for the next 48 hours before a comprehensive assessment is conducted.
“We will monitor them over the next 48 hours, and by Monday, an assessment will be carried out. We believe that there will then be a formal handover by the military to the Oyo State Government, after which we will continue to manage the rehabilitation process,” he said.
The governor urged residents to recognise that security challenges are not unique to Oyo State or any particular society, stressing the need for unity and collective responsibility in addressing such threats.
He called on citizens to set aside political, ethnic and other differences whenever security challenges arise and work together towards achieving lasting solutions.
“In the course of the week, I will officially brief the people of Oyo State and the nation at large on what transpired,” the governor said.
