July 19, (THEWILL) — After enduring 56 days of despair following the abduction of about 44 pupils, teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, and relatives of the victims can now smile again.
Two teachers from one of the schools and a principal were also taken away alongside the school children, some of whom were mere toddlers, by the kidnappers. Sadly, the Vice Principal Michael Oyedokun and teacher John Olaleye, were killed by the terrorists. Oyedokun was accused of hiding a mobile phone and executed while Olaleye was killed to send a warning to security forces.
There is a possibility that the young kidnap victims were made to witness the horror of killing their own school teacher. Imagine the kidnappers chopping off the head of the man right in the presence of his pupils. Nothing could be more callous, unfeeling and traumatic.
When the news of the children’s rescue from the kidnappers’ den emerged, the response was overwhelming. There was celebration and jubilation almost across the country. Nigerians were relieved and thankful, particularly to the gallant security team appointed on the orders of President Bola Tinubu and given the task of ensuring the rescue and release of the kidnap victims.
For once, every concerned citizen who had been deeply worried for the safety of the kidnap victims and prayed for a positive twist in the matter, were happy. They sang the praises of the security personnel involved in the rescue effort and thanked them for bringing back all the kidnapped children alive and well.
Of course, being the architect of the rescue mission, President Bola Tinubu was a beneficiary of the general mood. The President’s commitment to the rescue of the victims has been hailed as exemplary. Many have expressed the opinion that his government may have found a way, even if remotely, around the worrisome problem of insecurity.
We believe the reason the rescue mission was this successful was because intelligence was strategically and painstakingly deployed. Whoever came up with the idea of arresting the kidnappers’ families and using them as bargaining tools, a move that definitely made the difference, deserves a national honours award. It did not only rattle the terrorists but also significantly weakened them and left them in such a situation that the government rescue team could exploit to its full advantage.
Still basking in the success of the rescue mission, more Nigerians are not done talking about it and heaping praises on the major actors on the Federal Government’s side. The general feeling is that the end of insecurity is finally in sight. But the fight against terrorism must be won first. Cut off the head of the monster and it’s body becomes useless.
We also believe that more successful outcomes like this, in our collective fight against anti-social forces will not only guarantee the country lasting peace but also usher in much-needed prosperity.
Meanwhile, there is a possibility that even the rescued children and teachers who have indicated interest to return to the same schools where they were abducted by terrorists, may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder. Nobody wishes to relive the details of a bad event. They would rather purge themselves of the memory than to tuck it away somewhere. Nobody, victim or relative, who possibly may have given up on seeing the former alive again, deserves to live with trauma under any circumstance.
