- Safiu Kehinde
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has expressed solidarity with families of the kidnapped students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
Makinde called for the cooperation of the families as he assured them of ongoing effort to ensure the safe return of their loved ones.
The governor gave the assurance during a condolence visit to the council are on Saturday where he met with the grieving families.
Video shared on his social media pages captured some visibly distraught family members who embraced Makinde as he consoled them during the engagement at Ahoro-Esinele Community High School where scores of students were abducted alongside their teachers and principal.
Addressing them in Yoruba, Makinde maintained that he shares in their grief as he reiterated that operation is ongoing to ensure the rescue of the kidnap victims.
“Please I want your cooperation. I want you to cooperate with us. We are doing everything humanly possible to get our children and their teachers out.
“And I give you the assurance that by the grace of God, we will bring them out.
“Because it is an ongoing operation that has security implications, I cannot say so much apart from encouraging you. I know you are bleeding. I am also bleeding in my heart.” He said.
Makinde’s visit is coming days after the suspected kidnappers released a new video of the Community High School principal, F.O Alamu begging for the intervention of the state and federal government.
Alamu warned that one of the kidnapped victims will be killed after a failed rescue operation by security forces.
In a distress video circulating online, the visibly shaken principal pleaded with President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde to negotiate with the kidnappers instead of using force.
According to her, the rescue attempt worsened the situation for the abducted pupils and staff.
“The force that they used yesterday has cost us so much. It has added to our problem. In fact, one of us has been picked. They are going to kill him because the government tried to help us by force,” Alamu said in one of the videos.
“We want you to call them and dialogue with them so that our lives will be saved.”
The Oyo principal said she and 46 abducted schoolchildren have been forced to stay outdoors under harsh weather conditions since their kidnapping.
She explained that the victims face intense heat during the day and cold weather at night.