(Abdulfatai Buhari. Photo Credit: ShineYourEye)
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, representing Oyo North, has warned that any direct military assault on the kidnappers holding 47 abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State would likely result in the deaths of all the pupils, as the bandits are using the children as human shields.
Armed gunmen had earlier seized the children from schools in Ogbomosho and Oriire Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking on Arise Television, the senator explained that a direct attack on the abductors’ location is not a viable option under the current circumstances.
He noted that the criminals position the children around themselves as a protective barrier, making conventional military engagement extremely dangerous for the hostages.
He also highlighted the severe operational challenges facing security forces, pointing out that the kidnappers are constantly on the move through a vast, dense forest stretching across seven states Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, and areas bordering Benin and Niger Republic making tracking nearly impossible.
Buhari added that many of the perpetrators are foreign nationals who slip in and out of the country through these ungoverned forest corridors, further complicating efforts to apprehend them.
He also mentioned that a federal government delegation visited the affected families to offer condolences, including the widow of a man reportedly killed during the abduction, who pleaded for even just the return of her husband’s remains.
The senator stressed that the situation demands a non-conventional response, given the complexity of the terrain and the deliberate use of the children as bargaining tools.