Oyo abduction: CAN celebrates rescue of kidnapped pupils, teachers

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) expressed profound gratitude for the safe return of pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State's Oriire Local Government Area. The victims were held captive for 56 days before their successful rescue.

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The reports that the operation was guided by patience, credible intelligence, and a determination to protect innocent lives are reassuring and deserve recognition.

CAN National President Archbishop Daniel Okoh lauded President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Amotekun Corps, and local vigilantes for their contributions. Okoh highlighted the operation's reliance on patience, credible intelligence, and a commitment to protecting innocent lives, stating that such successes demonstrate hope triumphing over fear when security institutions collaborate professionally.

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Every successful rescue reminds us that when our security institutions work together with resolve and professionalism, hope can triumph over fear.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was also commended for his support to the affected families and his administration's commitment to the victims' rehabilitation. However, Okoh noted that the joy of the Oyo rescue is tempered by the ongoing captivity of other Nigerian children by terrorists and bandits in states like Borno and Niger. He stressed that the pain of these families is equally real, even if it garners fewer headlines.

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Today, parents in Oriire will hold their children again after weeks of anxious waiting. We rejoice with them.

CAN called for continued collaboration among governments, faith communities, and humanitarian organizations to provide essential psychiatric counseling, medical care, and emotional support to the rescued individuals. The association reiterated the need to secure schools, transforming them from places of fear into safe learning environments. The national celebration against insecurity, CAN concluded, will only be complete when all captives are freed and Nigerians can travel without fear of abduction.

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But there are mothers and fathers in Borno, Niger, and other parts of our country who will still go to bed praying that the next knock on the door will bring news that their own children are coming home.