NEWS
GOMEP Raises Alarm Over Mass Abduction of Pupils in Oyo, Demands Immediate Rescue of Victims
The Guide of Online Media Editors and Publishers (GOMEP) has strongly condemned the abduction of more than 40 pupils, students, and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing the incident as a horrifying attack on education, humanity, and national security.
In a press statement issued by the organization’s National Publicity Secretary, Tochukwu Eluwa, GOMEP expressed deep outrage over the incident, which also reportedly claimed the life of a teacher who was gruesomely killed and beheaded by the abductors.
The media body lamented that children who should be safely learning in classrooms are now trapped in fear and uncertainty at the hands of criminals, warning that the worsening insecurity across Nigeria is becoming unbearable for ordinary citizens.
According to GOMEP, the latest attack in Oyo State once again exposes the dangerous security gaps that continue to leave schools and rural communities vulnerable to kidnappers and armed gangs.
The organization stated that the brutal killing of the teacher reflects the growing level of violence and inhumanity being unleashed on innocent Nigerians, stressing that such acts must never be normalized in any civilized society.
GOMEP further criticized what it described as repeated cycles of condemnations without concrete and lasting solutions, noting that Nigerians are exhausted by the persistent stories of abductions, killings, and bloodshed across different parts of the country.
The group called on the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, the Nigerian Army, the Police, the Department of State Services, Civil Defence, and other relevant security agencies to immediately intensify rescue operations and ensure the safe and unconditional release of all victims still in captivity.
It stressed that the lives of the abducted children and teachers must not be subjected to political delays or prolonged negotiations, urging security agencies to deploy every available intelligence and operational resource toward securing their freedom and arresting those responsible for the attack.
GOMEP also urged authorities to strengthen security around schools, particularly in rural communities, in order to prevent further attacks on educational institutions. The organization maintained that schools must remain safe spaces for learning and development rather than targets for terrorists and criminal elements.
The organization equally appealed to community leaders, traditional rulers, religious institutions, civil society organizations, and citizens to collaborate with security agencies in tackling insecurity and protecting vulnerable communities across the nation.
Reaffirming that the protection of lives and property remains the primary responsibility of government, GOMEP insisted that authorities must act with urgency, seriousness, and accountability to end the growing wave of insecurity threatening the country.