The Oyo State Government says it is working with the Imo State Government and relevant security agencies to secure the safe release of 20 prospective corps members from Oyo State abducted in Imo State.
The Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the state was maintaining close government-to-government contact with Imo while engaging security agencies in both states.
Oyelade said Oyo was sharing templates and experiences from the Oriire kidnapping incident, adding that the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the abduction, submitted last week by the Justice (Professor) Mojeed Owoade-led panel, was also being used in the ongoing discussions.
The 20 graduates were travelling from Ibadan to their NYSC orientation camps on Thursday when gunmen attacked the two buses conveying them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.
The abductors reportedly demanded N50m for each victim, amounting to N1bn.
Oyelade said governments did not ordinarily disclose all measures being taken in sensitive security situations, particularly where such disclosures could compromise ongoing operations.
“The focus should indeed be on the Federal Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who are responsible for national security, particularly on the actions taken within the first 72 hours of the incident,” he said.
The commissioner also recalled that Governor Seyi Makinde had last week appealed to President Bola Tinubu to expedite action on the abducted 40 Borno students, who were kidnapped on May 15, the same day students and teachers of Esinele and Yawota in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State were abducted.
“The Oyo State Government would continue to work with the Imo State Government, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders towards the safe return of the abducted corps members,” Oyelade added.