Oyo Abduction: Group Hails Forest Guards Plan, Confident of Victims’ Release

The Tinubu Media Volunteers (TMV) has expressed strong optimism over the safe return of students and teachers abducted in parts of Oyo State, commending the Federal Government’s plan to deploy forest guards as part of intensified rescue operations.

The group said the security measures announced by President Bola Tinubu demonstrate renewed determination to dismantle criminal networks operating in forested areas and to ensure the swift rescue of the victims.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Chukwudi Enekwechi, and Secretary, Segun Ogedengbe, TMV also praised the visit of a high-level federal delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the affected communities.

The visit, according to the group, forms part of ongoing coordination efforts aimed at securing the release of the abducted students and teachers following the attack that sparked nationwide outrage and protests.

TMV said the President’s approval of multiple security interventions reflects urgency and commitment in addressing the crisis.

“It is noted that in the aftermath of the terrorists’ attack on the students and teachers of the schools, which has attracted outrage across the country with street protests, President Bola Tinubu had approved several measures towards ensuring that the perpetrators are apprehended and the students and teachers are rescued safely to their families,” the statement read.

The group highlighted key components of the intervention, including the immediate recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in collaboration with state governments, the possible establishment of a military outpost in the affected area, and the deployment of specialised security units to track down the kidnappers.

According to TMV, the forest guard initiative is particularly important given the role of forested terrains in providing cover for criminal gangs responsible for abductions.

The group expressed confidence that the combined security response would lead to the safe release of the victims and the arrest of those responsible for the attack.

It also said the measures, though temporary, could lay the groundwork for broader security reforms in the country, including renewed calls for state policing.

“We are convinced that while these measures are temporary, they will serve as a precursor for the eventual establishment of state police in the country,” TMV stated.

The organisation further commended President Tinubu’s declaration that no child should be denied access to education or fall victim to kidnapping, describing it as a clear signal of government commitment to child safety and national security.

TMV urged Nigerians to support government efforts and view security as a collective responsibility, stressing that collaboration between citizens and authorities remains essential in addressing insecurity.

It added that sustained public cooperation would strengthen ongoing rescue efforts and help prevent future attacks on schools and communities across the country.