Oriire Abduction: Tinubu Should Apologise, Not Celebrate Rescue – Netizens

President Bola Tinubu has come under criticism from Nigerians on social media following his reaction to the rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, with many arguing that the President should apologise for the security breach rather than celebrate the rescue.

The criticism followed a statement by the Presidency commending security agencies for securing the release of the pupils and teachers, describing the operation as a testament to the Federal Government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and tackling insecurity.

However, many Nigerians on X, Facebook and other social media platforms faulted the President’s position, insisting that the successful rescue did not excuse the failure that allowed the abduction to occur.

Several users argued that citizens should not have to celebrate being rescued after being kidnapped, stressing that the government’s primary responsibility is to prevent such incidents from happening.

Some commenters said the President ought to apologise to the victims, their families and Nigerians for the security lapse that led to the abduction, rather than commend the rescue operation.

One user wrote, “Mr President, this is not the time for celebration. Nigerians expect an apology that innocent schoolchildren and teachers were abducted in the first place.”

Another said, “The real success is preventing kidnappings, not congratulating ourselves after victims regain their freedom.”

A third commenter wrote, “Every rescued victim deserves gratitude to the security agencies, but every abduction is a reminder that government must do more to keep citizens safe.”

Another post read, “Parents should never have to worry about whether their children will return home from school. Prevention is better than rescue.”

A user also stated, “The rescue is commendable, but Nigerians want lasting solutions to insecurity. That is what should be celebrated.”

Another commenter added, “The President should empathise with the victims and assure Nigerians that concrete steps are being taken to prevent another incident like this, rather than issuing celebratory statements.”

While some Nigerians praised security agencies for rescuing the abducted pupils and teachers, others maintained that the Federal Government should be judged by its ability to prevent such attacks and guarantee the safety of citizens across the country.

The Presidency has yet to issue any further response to the online criticism beyond its initial statement welcoming the rescue of the victims.