The Guide of Online Media Editors and Publishers (GOMEP) has joined other individuals and organisation to strongly condemn the abduction of more than 40 pupils, students, and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State.
The organisation also expressed horror at the killing and reported beheading of one of the teachers by the kidnappers.
In a press statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Tochukwu Eluwa, GOMEP described the attack as “a direct assault on education, humanity, and the collective conscience of the nation”. It noted that children who should be in classrooms learning for a better future were now trapped in fear and uncertainty.
GOMEP voiced grave concern over the deteriorating security situation across the country, particularly the rising trend of attacks on schools and rural communities. The latest incident in Oyo State, it said, exposed dangerous security gaps that continued to leave citizens vulnerable.
The organisation called on governments at all levels, security agencies and relevant authorities to move beyond mere condemnations and take immediate, decisive action. “Nigerians are tired of repeated stories of abductions, killings and bloodshed without concrete and lasting solutions,” the statement read.
Specifically, GOMEP urged the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, the Nigerian Army, the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Civil Defence and all relevant security bodies to ensure the immediate, safe and unconditional rescue of all those still in captivity. It stressed that the lives of innocent children and educators must not be subjected to negotiations, politics or delays, and that every available security and intelligence resource should be deployed urgently.
The group also called for strengthened security around schools, especially in rural communities, to prevent further attacks on educational institutions. “Schools must remain safe environments for learning and development, not targets for terrorists and criminal gangs,” it added.
Finally, GOMEP urged community leaders, traditional rulers, religious bodies, civil society organisations and citizens to support efforts to tackle insecurity and protect vulnerable communities. “Nigeria cannot continue to lose innocent lives while criminals operate freely. The protection of lives and property remains the primary responsibility of government, and this responsibility must be carried out with urgency, seriousness and accountability.”
