The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged President Bola Tinubu to extend the security approach used in rescuing abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to other Nigerians still held captive across the country.
The party said the successful operation in Oyo State should become a standard response to kidnapping incidents nationwide, rather than a one-off intervention.
In a statement issued on Friday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the rescue of the Oriire victims demonstrated that government had the capacity to deploy intelligence and security resources effectively against kidnappers.
The party was reacting to President Tinubu’s remarks on Thursday during a meeting with traditional rulers from Oyo State, led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President had said his administration rejected negotiations with the kidnappers and relied on security operations to secure the release of the pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire.
Abdullahi said the development was welcome but questioned why similar measures had not been applied to other victims who had remained in captivity for longer periods.
“Every Nigerian should be delighted with the outcome of this bold strategy by the federal government. Every life rescued from the hands of kidnappers is a victory for the country. Every family reunited with loved ones deserves relief,” he said.
However, he added that the success of the operation raised concerns about other families still waiting for the return of their loved ones.
“If the federal government has the intelligence network, the operational capacity and the political resolve to bring the victims in Oriire home without yielding to the demands of kidnappers, why has the government not applied the same strategy to rescue other victims who have fallen victims much longer and have continued to languish in kidnappers’ den till today?” Abdullahi asked.
He listed Kwara, Borno, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Benue among states where families were still awaiting rescue efforts.
“The rescue in Oriire should not stand as an exceptional story that government recounts with pride. It should be the standard by which every response to kidnapping is measured,” he stated.
The ADC spokesman urged the President to ensure that the intelligence, surveillance and operational efforts deployed in Oriire were replicated across other affected states.
“We therefore urge the President to ensure that the same intelligence, surveillance and operational determination deployed in Oriire are immediately brought to bear in Kwara, Borno and every other state where Nigerians remain in captivity,” he said.
Kogi police confirm priest’s killing
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the death of Rev. Fr. Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro, a Catholic priest who was found dead along the Lokoja-Ajaokuta Highway.
According to a statement by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Afusat Saliu, the police received information on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at about 9:30 a.m. that the body of an unidentified man was discovered along Church Road, Ajaokuta.
The statement said officers who arrived at the scene observed that the deceased had suffered severe machete wounds to the head.
The body was taken to ASCL Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor before being deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.
The police later identified the deceased as Rev. Fr. Samuel Opeyemi of St. Paul Parish, Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
“The case is currently under investigation, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend those responsible,” the command stated, adding that the matter would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department after preliminary investigations.
Reports indicated that the priest, who was born in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State and hailed from Ayetoro in Ijumu Local Government Area, was allegedly attacked by suspected hoodlums before his body was discovered.
Until his death, Rev. Fr. Oyetoro served at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Egbe.
His killing has sparked mourning among members of the Catholic community and residents of Kogi State.
