Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Saturday night met with families of the Oriire abductees, urging calm and cooperation as security agencies intensify efforts to secure their release.
The meeting, held at Ahoro-Esiele community, brought together relatives of the victims, community leaders and residents.
Makinde said he understood that mere words could not take away their pains, but assured his administration was working around the clock to bring everyone home safely.
“Since this incident occurred, I’ve been holding security meetings twice daily and working directly with security agencies.
“We will push beyond every limit until all abductees are rescued,” he assured.
He described the abductors’ actions as “cruel, unacceptable, and inhumane,” regardless of any grievances they claim to have.
Makinde also paid tributes to the sacrifices of security personnel, noting that nearly 200 Amotekun operatives had died fighting crime across Oyo State since the corps was formed.
A relative of the victims, Prof. Wole Alamu, pleaded with the governor to do everything possible to free the abductees.
Another victim’s relative, Mr Aliu Saidi, made a similar plea.
After addressing the larger crowd, Makinde held a closed-door meeting with parents and relatives of the abducted pupils and teachers to share updates on the rescue operations.
The abduction has heightened security concerns in the area, with residents demanding faster action to end kidnapping along the state’s borders.
Meanwhile, suspected terrorists have attacked a vehicle along the Karaduwa-Matazu Road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, abducting two occupants and injuring the driver.
Spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday in Katsina.
He said the attack occurred about 11a.m. on Saturday when the assailants, armed with dangerous weapons, intercepted a red Peugeot 406 saloon car traveling along the route.
“The driver, Abdullahi Sa’id, sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm during the attack,” Sadiq-Aliyu said.
He added that two occupants, Abdullahi Batsari and Amina Abdullahi, were abducted before security operatives arrived at the scene.
“Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer in Matazu, accompanied by operatives of the Village Community Response Unit (VCRU), swiftly mobilised to the scene.
“The team secured the area and evacuated the injured driver to a medical facility for treatment,” he said.
The police spokesperson further stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ali Umar-Fage, personally visited the scene and ordered the deployment of additional personnel and operational assets to strengthen ongoing search-and-rescue operations.
He said the deployment was aimed at ensuring the safe rescue of the abducted victims and the arrest of those responsible for the attack.
Sadiq-Aliyu assured residents that the command remains committed to tackling criminal activities across the state and urged the public to continue supporting security agencies with credible information.
He said: “Efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators are ongoing, and further developments will be communicated as investigations progress.”
