By Queen Kunde
The Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) has called on the Federal Government to use the same intelligence-driven strategy that secured the freedom of 44 abducted pupils, students and teachers in Oyo State to rescue other Nigerians still being held by kidnappers across the country.
The association said the successful operation proved that Nigeria has the ability to defeat kidnapping through effective intelligence, strong coordination among security agencies and sustained military action.
In a statement signed on Monday by its Chairman, Sola Akingboye, ACOE praised President Bola Tinubu, the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS), other security agencies and local communities for securing the victims’ release after 56 days in captivity.
The group said the operation had restored public confidence in the country’s security system and should become the standard approach for future rescue missions.
ACOE specifically urged the government to focus on rescuing students abducted from Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Borno State, as well as many other Nigerians still in the hands of kidnappers.
“The success recorded in Oyo should not be a one-off achievement,” Akingboye said. “Every Nigerian life matters, and every family deserves the same commitment that brought the Oyo victims home safely.”
The association said the rescue showed that kidnapping could be significantly reduced if intelligence-led operations were consistently supported and properly funded.
It stressed that security remains the bedrock of national development, noting that Nigerians should be able to travel, work, farm and send their children to school without fear.
“No nation can truly develop when its citizens live in fear or parents worry whether their children will return safely from school,” the statement said.
ACOE also paid tribute to security personnel who lost their lives during the operation, especially 28-year-old Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac of the Nigerian Army, who was killed while leading the initial assault team during the rescue mission at the Old Oyo National Park.
The association described the fallen officer and other security operatives as heroes whose sacrifice would not be forgotten.
It further urged the Federal Government to strengthen intelligence gathering, invest in surveillance technology, improve cooperation among security agencies and support community policing, while providing better welfare, equipment and operational support for security personnel.
ACOE noted that the successful rescue came shortly after it appealed to the Federal Government to secure the release of the Oyo victims and other abducted Nigerians, expressing satisfaction that the appeal had produced positive results.
The association, however, insisted that the mission would only be complete when every Nigerian held by kidnappers and terrorists regains freedom.
It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting efforts to improve national security and pledged to continue advocating justice, transparency and the protection of lives.
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