Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who represents Oyo North Senatorial District, has explained why security agencies have not launched a direct offensive against the kidnappers holding dozens of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State.
The lawmaker said the lives of the children remain a major concern because the abductors are reportedly using them as protection against possible military action.
Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Thursday, Buhari disclosed that the gunmen deliberately surrounded themselves with the kidnapped pupils, making any rescue operation extremely risky.
According to him, a forceful attack on the kidnappers’ hideout could lead to the death of all the children in captivity.
The senator spoke while providing updates on efforts by authorities to secure the release of the victims and support affected families.
He revealed that members of a federal government delegation recently visited families of those affected by the abduction. During the visit, they also met with the family of a man reportedly killed during the attack.
Buhari said the widow of the deceased appealed to authorities to help recover her husband’s body, noting that the family remains uncertain about what happened to his remains after the incident.
Explaining the difficulties security operatives face in tracking the kidnappers, the lawmaker described the vast forest region believed to be serving as their hideout.
He said the forest stretches across several states, including Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Kebbi and Sokoto, while also connecting to areas near the borders with Benin Republic and Niger Republic.
According to him, the dense nature of the forest provides cover for criminal groups who constantly move from one location to another, making intelligence gathering and tracking operations more complicated.
Buhari stated that the situation differs from conventional warfare because the attackers do not remain in a fixed location and are able to relocate quickly across large territories.
“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,” he said.
“The abductors use these children to surround themselves, basically using them as human shields. It is not a conventional war.”
The senator stressed that security agencies are operating under difficult circumstances and must balance the need to neutralise the criminals with efforts to ensure the safe return of the victims.
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