The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has showered praise on President Bola Tinubu over what he described as a major turning point in Nigeria’s fight against kidnapping, declaring that the government’s firm refusal to negotiate with criminals through ransom payments has restored public confidence and prevented Oyo State from descending into a prolonged security […]
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has showered praise on President Bola Tinubu over what he described as a major turning point in Nigeria’s fight against kidnapping, declaring that the government’s firm refusal to negotiate with criminals through ransom payments has restored public confidence and prevented Oyo State from descending into a prolonged security crisis.
The revered monarch said the successful rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State without paying ransom demonstrated that the Federal Government’s intelligence-driven security strategy was yielding tangible results, insisting that Nigerians now have “a government that knows what it is doing.”
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ladoja said residents of Oyo State initially feared the abduction could spiral into another prolonged national tragedy. However, he said the decisive intervention of security agencies working under President Tinubu’s directive changed the narrative and offered renewed hope in the country’s fight against kidnappers.
“We cannot thank you enough for this feat,” the monarch said, adding that the President’s resolve not to succumb to the kidnappers’ demands marked a significant breakthrough in tackling insecurity.
While commending the administration’s security strategy, Ladoja urged the Federal Government not to relent but to sustain military and other security operations in the vast forest corridor linking Oyo and Niger states, warning that the area could once again become a haven for criminal gangs if left unprotected.
He stressed that maintaining a permanent security presence in the forests would help consolidate recent gains, prevent kidnappers from regrouping, and guarantee lasting safety for communities across the region.
President Tinubu had earlier disclosed that the Federal Government rejected calls to pay ransom for the release of the abducted pupils and teachers, maintaining that yielding to the demands of kidnappers would only embolden criminal groups and encourage further abductions.
Instead, he said security agencies adopted intelligence-led operations, tracking the kidnappers’ network and arresting members of their support system, a strategy that ultimately forced the abductors to release the victims without collecting any ransom.
According to the President, the operation culminated in the safe rescue of the victims after about 56 days in captivity, the arrest of several suspects, and the killing of others, which he described as a major breakthrough in the ongoing war against kidnapping and terrorism across the country.