NO RANSOM: How Security Forces Tracked Kidnappers’ Families To Rescue Oriire Children
President Bola Tinubu has revealed the tactical operations that led to the successful rescue of the abducted Oriire children, disclosing that security forces turned the tables on the terrorists to force their unconditional release.
Speaking at the State House in Abuja during a visit by the Oyo State Council of Obas, the President shared critical insights into the rescue operation and outlined the federal government’s aggressive new strategy to eliminate kidnapping networks across Nigeria.
The Tactical Breakthrough: Targeting the Terrorists’ Circles
According to President Tinubu, security forces bypassed traditional negotiation routes by deploying aggressive, intelligence-led tactics. Instead of waiting for the kidnappers to dictate terms, operatives identified and detained family members of the terrorists across various hidden locations.
This unexpected pressure completely destabilized the criminal gang, forcing them to abandon their demands and flee, leaving the abducted children behind.
‘No Deal’ With Criminals
The President emphasized that the administration maintained a strict non-negotiation stance throughout the crisis. The terrorists had initially demanded a massive cash ransom alongside the immediate release of several notorious syndicate members currently in state custody. “We refused to negotiate,” President Tinubu declared. “These criminals wanted us to review the release from detention of members of their criminal gangs that were already arrested. And I said, ‘no deal.’ We are not going to negotiate with criminals.”
The President noted that the security challenges are further complicated by cross-border criminal elements originating from neighboring countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Niger Republic.
Military Expansion and Structural Reforms
To prevent future security lapses and ensure rapid response times, President Tinubu highlighted ongoing structural changes within the nation’s defense architecture with the creation of four new Army Divisions to ensure rapid deployment to active security flashpoints.
State Police
The administration is also moving forward with the creation of state police, with strict constitutional checks and balances built in to prevent political abuse.
Tactical training and equipment are being provided to forest guards to actively hunt down criminal syndicates using deep forests as operational bases. The President urged traditional rulers and local communities to remain highly vigilant, monitor their neighborhoods closely, and report any suspicious individuals or unusual movements to security agencies immediately
