Reported by: Puis Althea | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Senate has called on the Federal Government to sustain and intensify ongoing military and intelligence operations against terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements across the country, commending the recent successful rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State while demanding that the same level of commitment be extended to all Nigerians still held in captivity nationwide. The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and co-sponsored by all 108 other senators during plenary on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The upper chamber also tasked the Federal Government to ensure the prompt payment of all statutory death benefits, insurance claims, pensions and other welfare entitlements due to the families of fallen security personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice during the rescue operation.
Leading the debate on the motion, Bamidele recalled how terrorists invaded schools in Orire Local Government Area, Oyo State, on May 15, 2026, abducting 39 pupils and seven teachers, thereby subjecting innocent children, educators, parents and the entire federation to fear, anguish and emotional trauma. He described the abduction as a disturbing expansion of organised criminal activities into the South-West, which constituted a direct attack on the right of every child to be educated in a safe and secure environment. According to Bamidele, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu immediately mobilised the Armed Forces and all security and intelligence agencies to deploy every lawful military asset to secure the unconditional release of the victims. The Armed Forces, in concerted efforts to rescue the abducted students and teachers, worked in close collaboration with intelligence and other security agencies to launch a painstaking, intelligence-driven and highly coordinated rescue operation that lasted over 50 days.
The Senate leader chronicled how security forces successfully rescued the abducted schoolchildren and teachers on Friday, July 10, 2026, bringing an end to 56 days of captivity and uncertainty for the victims and their families. The operation resulted in the arrest of eight suspected terrorists, with several others neutralised. Bamidele, however, noted that the military campaign against the terrorists led to the ultimate sacrifice of Lieutenant F. A. Isaac of the Nigerian Army, Private Silas Musa of the 81 Battalion, Nigerian Army, and Sergeant Abena John Jerome of the Nigeria Police Force. Lance Corporal Adamu Hussain of the 81 Battalion also sustained injuries in the course of the operation. "Although one of the abducted teachers sadly lost his life during the period of captivity, the successful rescue of the remaining victims without further tragic consequences remains a remarkable achievement worthy of national recognition," Bamidele said. "The successful operation has restored hope and confidence among Nigerians, particularly parents and school communities, while sending an unmistakable message that the Federal Government remains resolute in ensuring that criminal elements have no safe haven anywhere within the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
In its resolution, the Senate urged the Federal Government to sustain and intensify ongoing military and intelligence operations against terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements across the federation as demonstrated in the Oyo rescue. The lawmakers stressed that these measures should be pursued consistently until all Nigerians can live, work, conduct their businesses and pursue education without fear. The Senate also called for sustained investment in the welfare, training, equipment and operational capacity of members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, including the provision of modern equipment, advanced surveillance technology, enhanced intelligence capabilities and improved logistics. The upper chamber further urged the government to ensure the prompt payment of statutory death benefits, insurance claims, pensions and other welfare entitlements to the families of fallen security personnel.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Adamu Aliero commended the Armed Forces for the successful rescue operation but noted that other children still remain in captivity in Borno and Yobe states. "What the armed forces did is commendable. There are other children still in captivity in Borno and Yobe. I want the armed forces to ensure other children still held in those states gain their freedom," Aliero said. Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, seconded the motion, describing the day of the abduction as "Black Friday" in his senatorial district, saying it had been 56 days of agony until the victims were rescued. Buhari observed that he was at the hospital to see the rescued pupils and teachers on the day they were rescued, noting that one of the children was on oxygen while others were on drips, but within 24 hours, all of them were already on their feet.
The Senate also paid glowing tribute to the memory of Lieutenant F. A. Isaac, Private Silas Musa and Sergeant Abena John Jerome, who paid the supreme sacrifice during the rescue operation. The lawmakers observed a minute's silence in honour of the fallen heroes and extended condolences to their families, the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force and the entire security community. The Senate further commended Lance Corporal Adamu Hussain for his bravery and urged the relevant authorities to provide him with the best medical care and all his welfare entitlements. In a separate resolution, the Senate cautioned Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde against trivialising important security matters by calling for a United Nations-led investigation into the abduction. Senator Adams Oshiomhole knocked the governor over the call, saying, "Makinde should not be seen as downplaying and politicising the issue. At this moment, suggesting that external bodies such as the United Nations should take over responsibilities that rightly belong to Nigeria would amount to questioning the sacrifices made by our security forces."
The Senate's resolution reflects a growing determination among lawmakers to ensure that the momentum generated by the successful Oyo rescue operation is sustained across all fronts of Nigeria's security challenges. As the upper chamber noted, the successful operation has restored hope and confidence among Nigerians while sending an unmistakable message that criminal elements have no safe haven anywhere within the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. However, with other children and citizens still in captivity in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna and other states, the Senate has made it clear that the Federal Government must extend the same level of commitment and resources to secure the freedom of all Nigerians still held by terrorists and bandits across the country. The call for intensified operations, improved welfare for security personnel and prompt payment of benefits to fallen heroes' families underscores the Senate's determination to ensure that the sacrifices of security forces are matched by concrete government action and that no Nigerian is left behind in the fight against insecurity.
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