Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, assured protesting teachers and civil society organisations in Abuja that security agencies were intensifying efforts to secure the release of abducted teachers and students, while cautioning against the politicisation of insecurity.
Addressing demonstrators at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Secretariat, Wike said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring the safe return of all victims and restoring public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
“We are all concerned about this security situation. The government is on its toes to ensure that those who are kidnapped are rescued,” he said.
The minister expressed confidence in the capacity of security agencies to secure the victims’ release and stressed the need for swift action.
“I have that confidence that the security system will do all it can to make sure the teachers and students who have been kidnapped are rescued, and let it be prompt,” he added.
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Wike, however, urged Nigerians not to turn security challenges into political issues, describing insecurity as a national problem that requires collective responsibility and support.
“We are all concerned, but let us not politicise issues. That is what I will not support. We are all concerned about the security situation and how the teachers and students should be released,” he said.
He disclosed that security agencies were working within established operational protocols and had recorded progress in efforts to secure the victims’ freedom.
“There is no government that will deliberately say citizens should be kidnapped, but we know where we found ourselves, and we know that everything possible is being done,” he stated.
Calling for national solidarity, the minister stressed that insecurity should not be viewed through regional or political lenses.
“What concerns you concerns everybody, and what concerns Abuja also concerns everybody. We are all looking at how people should rise up with the same dedication,” he said.
The protest was organised by teachers’ groups and civil society organisations demanding urgent government intervention over recent school abductions and improved security around educational institutions.
The demonstration comes amid growing concern over mass kidnappings in parts of the country, including the May 15 attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted.
The incident, which reportedly claimed the life of a school worker, triggered widespread outrage, protests, and an indefinite strike by teachers in the state.
In response, President Bola Tinubu approved the deployment of 1,000 forest guards, while security agencies intensified rescue efforts.
Governor Seyi Makinde and a Federal Government delegation also visited the affected communities, assuring residents that efforts to secure the release of the abductees were ongoing.
A separate abduction involving 42 pupils in Borno State has further heightened fears over a resurgence of large-scale school kidnappings across the country.
