“The response of the federal government has not been slow,” Sunday Dare, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on media and public communications, said in a television interview on Tuesday, June 2.
He was answering criticism of how Abuja handled the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers near Ogbomoso, in Oyo State. Dare rejected suggestions that Tinubu had delayed, saying government action started within hours of the attack.
What Dare said was done
“In less than 24 hours there was a response, a statement by Mr. President condemning it and activating all levers of the security organization to move to that place,” he said. Senior security officials were at the scene inside 48 hours, according to Dare. “Less than 48 hours after, the IG, Tunji Disu, personally went right into those villages to engage with the community leaders, the hunters, and the families and relatives of those involved,” he said. “So, to say it was slow, it was not slow, but you have to follow a process.”
The president, Dare said, ordered both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to tackle insecurity in Oriire Local Government Area. Special rescue units, troops and military equipment have been sent in, and the area has been cordoned off. “That area has been cordoned off to make sure that at least they are able to entrap both the attackers and their victims,” he said.
Tinubu has also approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards and backed a military base in the area, Dare added.
Rescue work needs discretion, he said, and not every detail can be made public because of operational sensitivity.
Terrain and roads
On worries about insecurity around Ogbomoso, Dare called the kidnappings isolated incidents tied to difficult terrain in the Old Forest Reserve, a large forest belt that crosses several states. He cited progress on the Oyo-Ogbomoso road project, which he said had gone from 60 per cent complete to 87 per cent under this administration.
He rejected the charge that these steps were merely reactive. Military operations are continuing in Yobe, Borno, Niger and Kwara, he said, and forces there keep up pressure on armed groups despite difficulties.
Dare rated the president’s record on security highly but did not deny the problem. “Are there security challenges? Absolutely. Are these challenges being confronted? Absolutely,” he said.
He also defended the economic record, including fuel subsidy removal and exchange-rate reforms, arguing they are producing long-term gains such as higher non-oil revenue and export growth. “Where was this country when President Bola Tinubu took over in May 2023?” he asked. Dare said Nigeria’s economy is showing signs of diversification and better stability under the reforms.
