This morning, we all woke up differently in Oyo state; we woke up to the deeply comforting embrace of answered prayers and collective relief. A relief in deed and indeed. The official confirmation that all the innocent schoolchildren and dedicated teachers abducted from their learning space in Oriire Local Government Area of Ogbomoso have been successfully rescued brings an indescribable joy to my heart. After weeks of agonising uncertainty and national anguish, this victorious rescue is a monumental triumph for our shared humanity.
 
It is a profoundly glad moment not just for the good people of Oyo State, but for all Nigerians who stood in faith, solidarity, and fervent hope during this harrowing ordeal.
 
I want to extend my most profound, heartfelt and heavy commendation to His Excellency, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his unwavering presidential commitment to securing the lives of these vulnerable citizens. His decisive leadership and refusal to yield to the blackmail of terror have proven that the Nigerian state remains supreme. We couldn't have asked for a better leader at this sensitive time of national importance. I, similarly, owe an immense debt of gratitude to the gallant men and women of our Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Police Force, and every tactical unit acknowledged in the recent operational briefing, including the support of Oyo State Government. The sheer bravery, intelligence-driven coordination, and ultimate sacrifices made by these uniformed men and women—navigating perilous forests and risking their own lives so that our children might live—are heroic deeds that we will simply never be able to adequately repay.
 
The safe return of these victims is a colossal psychological and emotional relief for their traumatised parents, guardians, families, and indeed all of us who felt the piercing pain of their absence. Beyond the joyous reunions, this successful joint operation sends an unshakeable, lethal statement to bandits and criminal syndicates everywhere: insecurity, kidnapping, and terror will absolutely not have a breathing space in Oyo State, the broader Southwest, or anywhere within the territorial integrity of Nigeria. The neutralisation of the perpetrators and the swift arrest of the kidnapping syndicate demonstrate that the arm of the law is long, and the resolve of our security architecture is fiercely impenetrable.
 
We will continue to acknowledge and celebrate this monumental victory of light over darkness because it means the world to us, at that, I passionately call on every well-meaning citizen to remain highly vigilant and to keep supporting every institutional move aimed at ridding our society of criminal elements. Our security forces rely heavily on actionable community intelligence, and we must continuously partner with them to ensure our agrarian communities and urban centers remain permanent safe havens. What will make this awesome development lifelong one is that such never happens in our community again, we must starve criminal elements of air and breathing space in our society.
 
The pursuit of a "Realistic Tomorrow" begins with a secured today. We must remain united, law-abiding, and deeply committed to the progressive vision of building an Oyo State where our children can learn, and our farmers can thrive, in absolute peace and prosperity.
 
~ Dr. Adewale Kolapo Kareem (AKK)
Former Oyo State Governorship Aspirant
APC… PROGRESS!
AKK! Aseyori ni tiwa
AKK!! Ajọṣe, Ajoje
AKK!!! A Task That Must Be Done.
Saturday, July 11 2026