The Oriire abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when dozens of pupils and teachers were kidnapped from a school in Oyo State. The victims remained in captivity for about 56 days before they were rescued by security operatives in July.
Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has questioned President Bola Tinubu's response to the mass abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, saying the President should have taken direct charge of the crisis instead of remaining distant during the victims' prolonged captivity.
Obi argued that if he had been President, he would have personally led efforts to the forest where the victims were held, insisting that the operation would have continued until everyone inside the camp was brought out, even if it resulted in casualties.
The former Anambra governor made the remarks during an interview on State of the Nation with Peter Obi on Afia TV's Eastern Eye, hosted by Alex Ogbodo and aired live on Thursday, where he outlined what he described as the type of leadership required to confront Nigeria's worsening insecurity.
The Oriire abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when dozens of pupils and teachers were kidnapped from a school in Oyo State. The victims remained in captivity for about 56 days before they were rescued by security operatives in July.
