PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Thursday assured residents of Oyo State that the schoolchildren and teachers abducted during coordinated attacks on three primary schools in Oriire Local Government Area would be rescued unharmed, declaring that the Federal Government was deploying all available measures, including international collaboration, to secure their release while intensifying efforts to tackle rising insecurity across the country.
News Point Nigeria reports that the schoolchildren and their teachers were abducted during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, in Oriire Local Government Area on Friday, May 15, 2026.
Speaking during the inauguration of the newly remodelled and redeveloped Premier Hotel in Ibadan, Oyo State, the President reiterated that the Federal Government was deploying every available measure to secure the release of the victims while addressing the growing wave of insecurity across the country.
“I must at this point reassure the good people of Oyo State and indeed the South-West that the Federal Government is seriously addressing the upswing in banditry, kidnapping and associated criminalities across the nation,” Tinubu said.
The President called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and support security agencies through intelligence sharing and community collaboration, stressing that security remains a collective responsibility.
“I urge all citizens to remain vigilant and to work collaboratively with security agencies.
“There is undoubtedly a huge role for traditional and faith-based institutions to play in this regard, and I urge them to take the lead through the various channels provided by government,” he added.
Tinubu said economic growth could only thrive in an atmosphere of peace, stability and security, noting that his administration had continued to make substantial investments in strengthening the country’s security architecture.
“Economic development can only flourish in an atmosphere of peace, stability and security. That is why our administration has continued to invest significantly in strengthening the nation’s security architecture,” he said.
According to the President, the Federal Government has, over the past three years, enhanced inter-agency coordination, improved intelligence gathering, expanded technological surveillance capabilities, strengthened community-based security initiatives and increased support for the armed forces and other security agencies.
“There is an ongoing process in the National Assembly targeted at enhancing policing at all levels. We hope to roll this out in no distant future,” he said.
Tinubu expressed confidence that the administration’s security interventions were already producing tangible results across several parts of the country and pledged to sustain the momentum until every Nigerian could live and conduct business safely.
“These efforts are yielding measurable results across many parts of the country. We remain committed to ensuring that every Nigerian, every investor, and every visitor can live, work, travel and do business in safety and confidence,” he stated.
He further assured prospective visitors and investors that Nigeria was becoming increasingly secure, better connected and more attractive for business opportunities.
“As guests look forward to using this magnificent facility from within Nigeria and from different parts of the world, they should be assured that our nation is becoming increasingly secure, increasingly connected and increasingly open for business.
“The combination of improved security, expanding infrastructure, economic reforms and strategic investments such as this Premier Hotel, therefore, conveys a strong message that Nigeria is moving steadily towards a more prosperous future,” he said.
Speaking on the remodelled Premier Hotel, Tinubu described the project as a landmark development that reaffirmed the commercial, cultural and strategic importance of Ibadan and Oyo State.
“Today, what we are celebrating is not just the reopening of a hotel, but the restoration of a true national icon,” the President said.
“The transformation and modernisation of this facility remind us that heritage should not be abandoned to the passage of time.
“Rather, it should be preserved, renewed, and adapted to meet contemporary realities. In many ways, this project mirrors the rebirth of other iconic national assets across our country.
“It similarly demonstrates that our past can serve as a foundation upon which we build a stronger future.”
Tinubu also paid tribute to the visionary leaders of the old Western Region, saying their enduring institutions and developmental assets continued to benefit generations and should be preserved by successive administrations.
“Let me, at this point, pay well-deserved tribute to the visionary leaders of the old Western Region who established enduring institutions and development assets that have continued to serve generations.
“They, undoubtedly, understood that sustainable development required long-term thinking, strategic investment, and collective action.
“Their foresight laid the foundation for many of the economic and social achievements that continue to distinguish this region today,” he said.
The President added that Nigeria was undergoing significant economic reforms designed to lay a solid foundation for sustainable growth, long-term prosperity and national development.