Atiku Welcomes Rescue of Oyo Schoolchildren, Faults Tinubu for Not Addressing Nigerians

• Ex-VP Atiku Abubakar praised Nigerian troops for rescuing abducted Oyo schoolchildren and teachers, calling it a victory deserving national gratitude
• The former Vice President criticised President Tinubu for remaining publicly engaged in political activities rather than addressing the nation after the rescue
• Atiku warned that one successful rescue must not trigger self-congratulation while Nigerians in Borno and other states remain in captivity

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Abuja, FCT - Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has praised the Nigerian military for rescuing abducted schoolchildren and teachers from Oyo state, while sharply criticising President Bola Tinubu for failing to address the nation following the operation personally.

In a statement released on Saturday, July 11 and signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the rescue as a moment of profound relief for the affected families and for millions of Nigerians who had kept the captives in their prayers.

"The rescue of innocent schoolchildren from the hands of terrorists is a victory for our gallant troops and a source of hope for every Nigerian family. They deserve the gratitude of the nation," Atiku said.

Atiku faults Tinubu's absence from the moment

The ADC presidential candidate noted the particular irony that the Ogbomoso schoolchildren regained their freedom on the same day the ruling party formally launched its door-to-door campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He argued that a responsible government ought to have kept its focus on the rescue mission rather than electioneering.

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"No serious government should be consumed by the politics of re-election while innocent schoolchildren have remained in the custody of kidnappers for weeks," he stated, adding that the President ought to have immediately addressed the nation alongside his defence chiefs after the operation concluded.

Instead, Atiku observed, the responsibility of announcing the rescue was handed to the President's spokesman while the President remained publicly engaged in political activities, a delegation he described as a failure of presidential leadership.

"The Commander-in-Chief is more than a constitutional title; it is a moral responsibility. In moments of national triumph and national grief, Nigerians expect to see their President embody that office," he said.

No room for celebration yet - Atiku

Atiku stressed that the Oyo rescue should not obscure the reality that many Nigerians, including schoolchildren in Borno and other parts of the country, remain in captivity.

"One successful rescue must not become an excuse for self-congratulation. A nation cannot celebrate while other parents still go to bed not knowing whether their children are alive or dead," he said.

He called on the federal government to sustain relentless pressure on terrorists, bandits and kidnappers until every abducted Nigerian is returned home safely, and urged the President to understand that visible presidential leadership after military successes strengthens public confidence, boosts troop morale and sends a clear signal to criminal elements.

"The greatest campaign any President can undertake is not for re-election but for the safety and security of the Nigerian people," Atiku concluded.

Tinubu reacts to rescue of Oyo pupils, teachers

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu expressed relief over the rescue of all schoolchildren and teachers abducted from the Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo state, praising the security agencies responsible for ending the 56-day ordeal.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announced the development on Friday, July 10, 2026, via his official X account, confirming that every abducted pupil and teacher had been freed.