The former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (Rtd), has finally broken his silence regarding the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. In an interview with TVC, Buratai expressed confidence that security operatives could locate the abducted pupils if they are able to locate social media influencers and other citizens online. He also called for increased recruitment into the security forces.
Buratai's Statement
During the interview, the former military boss stated: “I don’t believe security agencies can’t locate the bandits, if they can locate ordinary citizens, social media influencers….” His comments come after bandits abducted children and teachers in several local government areas of the southwestern state in May. The incident has drawn national attention, prompting a response from the Federal Government.
Government Response
Following the abduction, President Bola Tinubu dispatched a high-powered delegation to the affected communities and assured the public that his administration is working tirelessly to secure the release of the victims.
Public Reactions
The former COAS's remarks have sparked a wave of reactions from Nigerians on social media. Below are some of the responses:
- Bamikole Joseph Omotoye criticized security operatives, saying: “If to abduct citizens criticising them on social media, they are good at that, but can’t trace bandits abducting students … we understand it is political and orchestrated, but Nigerians will now realise the reasons why the corrupt current government should be voted out of power.”
- Mesiri A. Abraham questioned the capabilities of security forces: “@HQNigerianArmy, @DHQNigeria, simple question, so we have a specialised unit trained and equipped for these situations? The answer is NO! You can see from the erm erm of the former COAS, you are asking for recruitment when the ones there cannot boast of better training or equipment.”
- Solomon Uche PMP argued that the question should be directed to the police, who are responsible for internal security: “Our military has been turned into policemen. Questions like this should be directed to the police force saddled with the responsibility of internal security. Are we saying our police force is only meant to stop and search cars on the highway?”
- Tinubu Akinwunmi explained the difficulty of tracing assailants in the forest: “What we are facing is asymmetric warfare, different from criminals residing in a planned geographic location with a traceable address. For God's sake, these ppl are mobile. The military can only work with intelligence to intercept the movement of terrorists in each state.”
Background
The abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State has become a major security concern, with many calling for urgent action from the authorities. The former COAS's interview has added to the ongoing debate about the effectiveness of Nigeria's security apparatus.
