The South West Guild of Online Publishers (SWEGOP) has urged the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to intensify efforts to secure the immediate release of pupils and teachers abducted in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The media group described the incident as heartbreaking and traumatising, warning that it had deepened fears over worsening insecurity in Oyo State and the wider South-West region.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Bisi Oladele, and Publicity Secretary, Remi Oladoye, SWEGOP said the abduction was not only a painful attack on the victims’ families and affected communities but also a direct assault on the peace and stability of the region.
The guild lamented that many residents were gradually losing confidence in the safety of their environment, noting that the growing wave of insecurity had continued to inflict fear and psychological trauma on citizens.
According to the group, the continued captivity of the victims further exposes the fragility of Nigeria’s security architecture and underscores the urgent need for more coordinated and proactive responses to insecurity.
“The unfortunate abduction of innocent pupils and teachers in Oriire is deeply disturbing and unacceptable. Beyond the immediate pain inflicted on affected families and communities, this incident has heightened anxiety and fear among residents across Oyo State and the South-West,” the statement partly read.
While commending security agencies for ongoing rescue operations, SWEGOP urged the Federal and Oyo State governments not to relent until the victims were rescued unharmed and reunited with their families.
The guild also called for stronger collaboration between government and relevant stakeholders capable of supporting rescue efforts, stressing that all necessary resources must be deployed to secure the victims’ freedom.
It further appealed to security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve surveillance across vulnerable communities and adopt preventive measures to forestall future occurrences.
SWEGOP maintained that protecting lives and property remained the foremost responsibility of government, urging authorities to take decisive actions capable of restoring public confidence in the nation’s security system.
