Tinubu Bring Back Our Abducted Children -By Hadiza Mohammed

In the night of April 14, 2014, when Islamic militant group (Bokoharam) terrorists invaded the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Bornu State and kidnapped about 276 students, hell was let loose on the Nigerian main stream media controlled by the Yoruba crowd. Many who claimed to be human rights activists went haywire. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was attacked, maligned, vilified labelled incompetent and clueless. Different types of movements were formed and the attack was internationalized. There were protests, road shows and matches across the nation. The refrain was: “Bring Back Our Girls”.

I may not be a fan of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan but I am now constrained to think that most of the attack and hostilities he encountered while in power were unfair and politically motivated by some people whose only motive was to grab power.

Ironically, under Tinubu who is hailed as master strategist by those who hitherto were supposed to be fighting for the rights of the citizenry and the vulnerable groups within the country banditry and terrorism have gone out of proportion. We have lost count of the incidences of invasion of communities and schools by bandits. And we are outraged by the boldness of the bandits that have overwhelmed our security operatives.

A few days ago, precisely on Friday the 15th day of May, 2026 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. a group of bandits in what the police described as coordinated attack, struck at three different schools in Oyo State, taking 39 school children and 7 of their teachers hostage. The pupils abducted were between the ages of 2 and 16 according to Aljazeera report and the schools attacked are: Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, LA Primary School, Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire Local Government Area. A few days after the incident, it was reported that one of the abducted teachers identified as Michael Oyedokun was been murdered by the dare-devil bandits.

And as Nigerian children celebrate the Children’s Day on the 27th of May I sat down to reflect on the unfortunate incident and the fate of the abducted innocent kids and the future of Nigerian children. What troubled me most was the apparent silence of the once vociferous Yoruba crowd on whose soil the incidence took place and wondered what would have happened if a president from another region of the country was in power when this happened. Yes, I have waited patiently but I have not seen or heard of any protest or movement from the usual vociferous Yoruba Press and team of fake activists and rabble rousers that ruffle the peace of the country with their noise. The team of false activists that rattled and blackmailed Jonathan have gone to sleep…Where are the Bring Back our Girls activists? Why have they suddenly lost their steam? Why? Why? All we hear are feeble, half-hearted statements from pockets of individuals condemning the attack. Only the Child Protection Network has intensified calls for action from the authorities.

And as at today, two weeks after the macabre incident, the “strategists” who led the onslaught against Goodluck Jonathan, has not done anything even if it is stage-managed to rescue and bring back innocent school children kidnapped close to his backyard. What a shame! We are told that security forces including the military, local vigilante and Amotekun have been unleashed on the bandits and are still conducting recce operations to rescue the abducted children. Meanwhile, it is reported that six people suspected to be informants and logistics suppliers to the kidnappers have been arrested. The Oyo State Government under Governor Seyi Makinde has panickily closed down public schools in four Local Government Areas of his state namely: Surulere, Oriire, Oyo East and Olorunsogo until further notice while he expressed his willingness to negotiate with the abductors for the release of the children.

The implication of the Oyo Children Abduction is facing us squarely as a nation of people that attach sentiments and politics to everything. Those around Mr. Tinubu will not tell him the truth for fear of losing their positions. And for ethnic and primordial considerations others may choose to look elsewhere while things go bad. The abduction of innocent school children in Oyo State demonstrates in clear terms the worsening security situation in the country. Those blaming the Western powers warning their citizens about traveling to Nigeria should now understand better. And those blaming America for its interest in combating terrorists in Nigeria should swallow their pride and pray for foreign intervention to restore security in the land. The bandits have made a bold statement by this unfortunate incident. It shows that they have backers and informants within the security formations.

The attack also shows the nonchalant attitude of the current administration which only interest seems to center on the re-election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Tinubu administration has been overtly profligate and has fritters state resources on misplaced priorities and white elephants that have no benefits to the citizens. What will Tinubu tell the Nigerian children as they mark the Children’s Day and how will the embattled Nigerian’s children celebrate the Children’s Day when some of their innocent mates are in captivity without hope of freedom? It is unfortunate. And most saliently, the silence of the known activist who have criticized previous governments demonstrate unmistakably the hypocrisy of those fake activists.

Nigeria this is a wake-up call! I am joining the rank of concerned Nigerians in calling on Tinubu to bring back our abducted children. As the countdown to the 2027 general elections begin, the choice is yours to remain in the current state of insecurity and uncertainty or reclaim your country and work for the future that you desire.

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed 

hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com

An actress, social activist, politician

London, UK