…hails nationwide efforts, urges security review after kidnap ordeal
By Adeola Badru
Professor Wale Alamu, husband of Mrs Rachael Alamu, the principal who was among the pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has described the victims’ release as the end of eight weeks of anguish, while calling on the government to draw lessons from the incident to prevent a recurrence.
Speaking with Vanguard after news of the victims’ release filtered out on Friday, Professor Alamu said the family had endured weeks of emotional trauma before receiving the welcome development.
“For the past eight weeks, I have been living through immense pain. Today, God has taken that pain away,” he said.
The academic expressed appreciation to all those who played roles in securing the victims’ freedom, saying the successful rescue reflected the collective efforts of government and Nigerians across religious and social divides.
“I want to thank everyone who contributed to bringing an end to my suffering. I am grateful to the presidency, the state governor, the state executive council, Nigerians as a whole, Muslims, Christians and even traditional worshippers.“
“Everyone played a part, and I sincerely appreciate every contribution, no matter how small, towards securing the release of our people,” he said.
While expressing relief over the development, Professor Alamu urged the authorities to undertake a comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding the abduction, stressing that the incident should serve as a lesson for strengthening security around schools and vulnerable communities.
“I believe everyone has learnt one lesson or another from this incident. Once a thorough review has been carried out, the government will identify the areas that need attention and take the necessary steps to ensure that such an unfortunate incident does not happen again,” he added.
