Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, who represents Oyo North Senatorial District, has shed more light on the security strategy that led to the rescue of the abducted Oriire schoolchildren, saying the operation succeeded because security forces effectively blocked the kidnappers’ escape routes.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Prime Time on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the lawmaker said the military’s understanding of the terrain and coordinated deployment across key access roads prevented the abductors from fleeing with the victims.
According to the senator, a major factor in the success of the operation was the presence of security personnel along a federal government road linking communities in the area, including the route leading to Kishi. He explained that had the route remained open, the abductors would likely have escaped with the children.
Abdulfatai noted that security operatives strategically positioned troops along multiple routes surrounding the forest, effectively boxing in the kidnappers. With the escape paths blocked, surveillance teams were able to narrow down the location of the abductors, paving the way for the successful rescue mission.
The senator dismissed claims that the release of the victims was primarily due to the arrest of relatives of the kidnappers, insisting that the decisive factor was the military’s tactical deployment and coordinated operations.
He praised the armed forces for demonstrating a high level of collaboration throughout the rescue effort, describing the operation as a clear example of effective inter-agency synergy.
Abdulfatai recalled seeing naval personnel deployed in the area weeks before the rescue and initially wondered why they had been sent there. He later realized that every security agency involved had a specific assignment, with personnel from the Office of the National Security Adviser, senior military commanders, and other security units working together toward a common objective.
He said the operation showed what could be achieved when intelligence gathering, surveillance, and coordinated action are combined, expressing hope that the same approach would be replicated in other parts of the country facing similar security challenges.
In his words: “I was discussing with some friends, looking at how the rescue operation was carried out, in my view, because I know the terrain very well. Fortunately for us, there’s a federal government road connecting Ibokwe to Kishi. Had there been no road, they would have escaped, but the military were positioned on that road to the north…….See More
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