Senator Abdulfatai Buhari has warned against a military assault on the kidnappers holding 47 abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State, saying the victims are being used as human shields and could be killed during any rescue operation.
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who represents Oyo North Senatorial District, has cautioned against a direct military assault on the kidnappers holding 47 abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State, warning that such an operation could endanger the lives of the victims. The pupils were abducted by gunmen from schools in Ogbomosho and Oriire Local Government Areas, sparking widespread concern and calls for urgent action to secure their release.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Thursday, the lawmaker said government officials had visited affected families and expressed sympathy over the ordeal. “When the Federal government delegation came, we went to see all the families, including the one that was brutally murdered, the lady, we were able to console her. We appealed to her and she was begging even if we can get her the corpse of the husband, we don’t know if they buried him or threw it away,” Buhari said. He added that the kidnappers operate within a vast forest stretching across several states and bordering neighbouring countries, making tracking and rescue efforts extremely difficult.
Explaining the challenges facing security agencies, Buhari said the abductors constantly move from one location to another and have strategically positioned the children around them. “The early part, they took the children to surround themselves and it was raining, so if you decide to attack, they will kill all the 47 children, they used them as human shields. The abductors use these children to surround themselves, basically using them as human shields. It is not a conventional war,” he said, stressing that the nature of the terrain and tactics employed by the kidnappers complicate efforts to secure the victims’ freedom.
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