The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to extend the security approach that secured the release of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State to other parts of the country where hundreds of Nigerians remain in the custody of kidnappers.
The opposition party argued that the success recorded in the rescue operation in Oriire Local Government Area should not remain an isolated achievement but become the standard model for tackling kidnapping nationwide.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC welcomed the safe return of the victims in Oyo, describing the rescue as a significant victory for the country.
However, the party insisted that families of victims in states such as Kwara, Borno, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Benue deserve the same urgency, commitment and operational attention from the Federal Government.
The statement followed President Tinubu’s remarks during a meeting with traditional rulers from Oyo State, led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. During the meeting, the President disclosed that the government rejected negotiations with the kidnappers and instead relied on intelligence-driven security operations to secure the release of the victims.
According to the ADC, the government’s success in Oyo demonstrates that Nigeria possesses the intelligence capabilities and operational strength required to defeat kidnappers without yielding to their demands.
“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,” the party stated.
While applauding the rescue mission, the ADC questioned why the same level of determination had not been deployed to free other Nigerians who have spent months, and in some cases years, in captivity.
The party argued that if the government had the intelligence network, operational capacity and political will to successfully rescue the Oriire victims without negotiating with kidnappers, similar efforts should be replicated in every part of the country battling the menace.
According to the opposition party, countless families across Nigeria continue to endure uncertainty as their loved ones remain in kidnappers’ camps, with little hope of rescue.
It specifically pointed to Kwara, Borno and several other states where communities continue to grapple with recurring abductions, saying those victims deserve equal attention regardless of where the crimes occurred.
‘Every Family Deserves Equal Hope’
The ADC stressed that Nigerians are not demanding preferential treatment but equal protection under the law.
It urged President Tinubu to reassure families still waiting for the return of abducted relatives that the Federal Government has not abandoned them.
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Referring to the President’s declaration that there would be “no deal” with the Oriire kidnappers, the party said the same firmness should be demonstrated in every kidnapping case across the country.
“The President told the kidnappers in Oriire, ‘No deal.’ He must demonstrate equal resolve and send an equally unmistakable message while giving real hope to families still waiting for a son, daughter, husband, wife or parent that the government has not forgotten them,” the statement added.
The opposition party maintained that the true measure of any government’s security credentials lies not in isolated successes but in its ability to consistently protect citizens and rescue victims wherever they are held.
It therefore called on the Federal Government to immediately deploy the same intelligence, surveillance assets and operational resources used during the Oyo rescue mission to other states battling persistent kidnappings.
According to the ADC, every Nigerian deserves equal protection, regardless of geography.
“No family should have to wonder whether the urgency of government depends on where tragedy happens,” the party stated.
The party concluded that adopting a uniform, intelligence-led response to kidnapping across Nigeria would not only strengthen public confidence in the country’s security architecture but also demonstrate that every Nigerian life is valued equally.