African Democratic Congress, on Saturday, urged the Federal Government to extend the same urgency and operational commitment that secured the release of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State to victims who remain in captivity in Borno and Kwara states, warning against a selective approach to rescue efforts.
ADC said while the rescue of pupils, teachers and other victims abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State after 56 days in captivity was commendable, many Nigerians kidnapped in other parts of the country had remained in captivity for months without attracting similar national attention.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement that the ADC congratulated the rescued victims and their families but insisted that government must treat every kidnapping case with equal importance.
“We commend the security agencies and all those whose efforts made this rescue possible. Most importantly, we rejoice with the families whose long traumatic wait for the safe return of the victims has finally come to an end,” the party said.
But it argued that the successful operation in Oyo should not overshadow the plight of victims still being held by kidnappers elsewhere.
“The pupils abducted in Borno State in May this year remain in captivity, while more than 100 people kidnapped in Kaiama, Kwara State are still in the den of kidnappers several months after. We believe that the suffering of these victims deserves the same urgency, determination as well as the national and international attention that brought the Oriire victims home,” the statement added.
ADC maintained that rescue operations, though important, should not become the benchmark for assessing the government’s performance on security.
“Every successful rescue is worth celebrating. But every kidnapping is also a reminder that the primary duty of government is to ensure that citizens are not abducted in the first place. What we must not do is to get accustomed to measuring success by the number of rescue operations this government conducts,” it added.
According to the statement, the real measure of success is creating an environment where parents can send their children to school without fear, travellers can use highways safely, and citizens can go about their daily activities without the constant threat of abduction.
The party expressed concern that insecurity had become a routine feature of daily life under the current administration, warning that persistent kidnappings continue to undermine public confidence and economic development.
“We cannot achieve meaningful economic growth, attract investment or build public confidence while kidnapping remains a recurring feature of national life,” it said.
ADC urged the Federal Government to sustain the momentum that led to the rescue of the Oriire victims by deploying “the same resolve, intelligence and operational capacity” to secure the release of all Nigerians still in captivity.
It also urged the government to “move beyond reactive responses by adopting a comprehensive security strategy focused on improving intelligence gathering, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, addressing the root causes of insecurity and restoring effective state presence in vulnerable communities.”
The party concluded that while the return of the Oriire victims deserved celebration, national efforts would remain incomplete until every abducted Nigerian regained freedom.
Kidnapping for ransom has remained one of Nigeria’s most persistent security challenges, with schools, highways and rural communities frequently targeted by criminal gangs.
The abduction of students has drawn both domestic and international concern in recent years, recalling previous mass kidnappings in states such as Borno, Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara. Although security agencies have recorded several rescue operations, many victims remain in captivity for extended periods, while fresh abductions continue to occur across different parts of the country.
The rescue of the Oriire pupils and teachers after 56 days in captivity has been welcomed by stakeholders, but renewed attention has also been drawn to victims still being held in Borno and the more than 100 persons reportedly abducted in Kaiama, Kwara State, whose families continue to await their safe return.
