Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has welcomed the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire school in Ibadan, southwestern Oyo State.
The Commission, while urging security agencies to intensify efforts to free other Nigerians still being held by kidnappers across the country.
The Commission’s Executive Secretary, Dr Tony Ojukwu, commended security operatives for securing the pupil’s release but stressed that the operation should not be viewed as an isolated achievement amid Nigeria’s wider security challenges.
“Every life matters. The joy of one family reunited must become the standard for every family still waiting in anguish,” Ojukwu said in a statement.
Nigeria has faced persistent kidnappings in recent years, with armed groups targeting schoolchildren, travellers, and rural communities for ransom, raising concerns among human rights advocates and international observers about public safety and the protection of fundamental rights.
While praising the successful rescue, Ojukwu noted that many victims remain in captivity and called for the same level of urgency, coordination, and resources to be deployed in securing their freedom.
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“While we commend this rescue, we are reminded that hundreds of Nigerians are still missing, still suffering, and still hoping. The State has a duty to protect the right to life and personal liberty of every citizen under Sections 33 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution,” he said.
The Chief Human Rights Officer described abductions as serious violations of human rights that create fear and insecurity across communities.
He urged the federal and state governments, alongside security agencies, to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve inter-agency cooperation, and prioritise victim-centred rescue operations.
“Rescuing one is commendable. Rescuing all is the mandate. No Nigerian should be left behind in captivity,” Ojukwu said.
The NHRC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of everyone living in Nigeria and called on authorities to address insecurity in all its forms, emphasising that safeguarding citizens’ lives and freedoms remains a fundamental responsibility of the state.
