Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a sharp rebuke to the Federal Government, demanding an immediate end to what it described as the dangerous habit of measuring security success solely by the number of rescue operations, arguing that the ultimate test of governance is whether Nigerians can send their children to school, travel on highways, and live their daily lives without the constant fear of abduction. The opposition party, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, on Saturday, 11 July 2026, welcomed the release of pupils, teachers, and other victims abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State after 56 days in captivity, but warned that the celebration must not be allowed to obscure the grim reality that hundreds of other Nigerians remain in the hands of kidnappers across the country.
While commending the security agencies and all those involved in the operation that secured the freedom of the Oyo victims, the ADC insisted that the government must extend the same urgency, determination, and national attention to other abduction cases that have lingered for months without resolution. The party specifically pointed to the pupils abducted in Borno State in May 2026, who remain in captivity, as well as more than 100 people kidnapped in Kaiama, Kwara State, who have spent several months in the dens of their abductors. The ADC argued that the suffering of these victims deserves the same level of urgency and operational commitment that brought the Oriire victims home, and that the government cannot afford to adopt a selective approach to rescue efforts based on media attention or political expediency.
The ADC cautioned that the country must not become accustomed to measuring progress in tackling insecurity by the number of successful rescue operations, warning that such a metric masks a deeper and more troubling crisis. The party declared that the true measure of success is not how many victims are rescued after being taken, but whether parents across Nigeria can send their children to school without fear, whether travellers can use the nation's roads without anxiety, and whether ordinary citizens can go about their daily lives free from the constant threat of violent criminals. The ADC stressed that 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.
The opposition party expressed grave concern that insecurity has become an accepted and routine feature of daily life under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, warning that the persistence of kidnapping is not only a humanitarian tragedy but also a severe drag on economic growth, a deterrent to investment, and a corrosive force that continues to erode public confidence in the state's ability to protect its citizens. The ADC insisted that Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful economic development, attract investment, or build public confidence while kidnapping remains a recurring feature of national life, and that the government must move beyond reactive responses to adopt a comprehensive and proactive security strategy.
To this end, the ADC called on the Federal Government to sustain the momentum that led to the Oriire rescue by deploying the same resolve, intelligence, and operational capacity to secure the release of every Nigerian still held by criminal elements. The party also urged the government to implement a broader security framework focused on improving intelligence gathering, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, addressing the root causes of insecurity, and restoring effective state presence in vulnerable communities across the country. The ADC maintained that every life matters equally, and that no victim should be forgotten simply because they are voiceless or lack influential advocates to keep their plight in the national spotlight. The party concluded that while the return of the Oriire victims deserved celebration, the nation's relief would remain incomplete until every abducted Nigerian is safely reunited with their families.
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